On Monday, 17 November, we run a workshop as part of the Soft Skills 4 Democracy project. CGE collaborated with the International Student Office of the Schmalkalden University of Applied Science on the topic of “Soft Skills in the Age of AI”.
The goal of the workshop was to help participants better understand, and actively practice, the soft skills needed to collaborate effectively with AI technologies. These included critical thinking, communication, creativity, teamwork and ethical reasoning. The event was designed to build awareness of AI’s role in modern workplaces and to encourage participants to explore how soft skills are important for their future employment perspectives.
The centre of the workshop was a hands-on courtroom simulation, inspired by a real case in which a job applicant claimed to have been unfairly rejected by an AI-based recruitment system. To bring this scenario to life, participants assumed different roles: some represented the plaintiff who was discriminated by the system, others acted as the defenders of the AI system and a third group formed the jury.
After initial group discussions, the full courtroom simulation began. Small groups were formed: each one with three people of different roles. Both sides presented their arguments, shared their reasoning, and defended their perspectives. Meanwhile, the jury had to carefully evaluate the evidence, consider the ethical implications and make a final decision on the case. This interactive format allowed everyone to step into the decision-making process and practice persuasive communication.
Then, participants came together for a discussion on what had happened, the challenges of AI-driven evaluations and the broader impact of AI technologies on the job market. The conversation provided a valuable space to exchange ideas and discover new insights.
Overall, the workshop offered a meaningful opportunity to learn about soft skills and AI, to promote dialogue and collaboration and to create new connections among participants.
The project SoftSkills4Democracy (Pr. nr. 2024-1-DE04-KA154-YOU-000234648) is funded by the Erasmus+ foundation.
