IJECE Published Articles

Abstract This study assessed the level of soft skills development among business students of West Visayas State University, focusing on five key competencies: communication, problem-solving, leadership, decision-making, and creativity. Using a descriptive-correlational quantitative research design, data were collected from 163 third- and fourth-year students during the academic year 2024–2025 through a validated 30-item questionnaire. The study examined variations in soft skills when students were classified according to sex, year level, and course, and also explored the relationships among the identified competencies. Descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation were employed for data analysis at a 0.05 level of significance. Results revealed that students exhibited high proficiency across all five domains, with communication skills obtaining the highest mean score. No significant differences were found when grouped by sex, while differences emerged when classified by year level and course, favoring fourth-year students and those enrolled in Financial Management and Tourism Management programs. Correlation analysis indicated significant positive relationships among all skill dimensions, confirming that improvement in one competency reinforces others. The findings validate the applicability of Human Capital and Competency-Based theories in explaining soft skills development and highlight the importance of sustained curriculum enhancement to prepare graduates for leadership and professional adaptability in dynamic business environments. Keywords: Soft Skills, Communication, Problem-Solving, Leadership, Decision-Making, Creativity, Business Education, Employability