This paper reports the modification of an existing experimental subject into a project laboratory for first-year physics students studying in the first cycle of university level and at a higher professional level. The subject is aimed at developing important science-related competences and skills through concrete steps under circumstances that are similar to those met in real-life situations. A selection of suitable project tasks is discussed in detail and examples are given. In addition, the integration of the project laboratory into the training process of the physics education students in the second cycle is presented. (Contains 5 footnotes, 3 tables and 4 figures.)