The development of soft skills in academic and professional environments is fundamental for the success of professionals in the STEM area, especially in engineering, which is reflected in the development and progress of a country. Therefore, higher education institutions should be concerned with the development of soft skills as well as the development of specific technical competencies in engineering. The lack of gender equity in engineering careers is one of the main global issues. Positive self-perception of leadership and communication skills significantly influences women’s decision to start or continue a STEM career, which can contribute, among other factors, to reducing the existing gender gap in civil engineering-related careers. The main objective of this study is to perform a comparative analysis of the self-perception of leadership and communication skills among secondary and university students in southern Ecuador, with the aim of designing attraction campaigns that encourage interest in STEM careers. The study was conducted with secondary school students from a public school in Catamayo canton, and civil engineering students from Loja, Ecuador. To collect the information, a structured survey with 12 questions was applied to 68 secondary and university students. The results reveal greater variability in the responses of secondary level students and greater stability in the responses of university students. In communication skills, both secondary and university students perceive themselves positively, with women showing greater consistency at the university level compared to men. Regarding leadership, women show a decrease in their self-perception of leadership from secondary to university level, unlike men