Adult learning for skill acquisition, employability, professional development, and self-sustenance are key issues in the current globalized and dynamic knowledge economy. Smooth and successful transition from school to work for young adults means that there is an appreciable match between skills acquired in the school and skills required in the labor market. Continuous adult learning, soft and transversal skills development are necessary for this transition. With background lessons from the winter school, this paper focuses on a comparative approach to different types of soft skills in the circuit of formal, non-formal, and informal models of adult learning. In various areas in the circuit, different positions and definitions are examined within the context of adult education professionalization. The paper concludes with implications for future practices in the adult education profession, and especially for soft skills development among entry-level young adults in the labour market.