To effectively face the transitive challenges of contemporary society, characterized by rapid social, technological and economic changes, it is essential to develop strategic skills that promote a conscious and flexible management of one’s educational and professional path. Educational research highlights the crucial role of non-cognitive skills, focusing not only on the fundamental function they play in learning processes, but also on personal development and future orientation. Within this theoretical framework, professional adaptability emerges as a key competence, closely linked to the Life Design approach. Professional adaptability allows individuals to build and adapt their educational and career projects over time, proactively responding to changes and challenges encountered along the way. This study explores the professional adaptability of students enrolled in Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs in Rome, observing its evolution over time, both at the beginning and at the end of their training path. The instrument used is the Professional Adaptability Questionnaire (QAP), which investigates four dimensions: concern, control, curiosity, and confidence. The results offer significant insights for reflecting on the importance of developing transversal skills in educational pathways, emphasizing the need to promote a conscious and flexible planning of one’s personal and professional future. These results also represent an important contribution to the definition of effective educational and guidance practices, which can support students to become active citizens and protagonists of their own path in an increasingly complex and uncertain world.

Keywords: Strategic skills, professional adaptability, skills development, VET, students.