BESPOKE – BusinESs PresentatiOn sKills for EmployabilityFostering Digital Business Presentation Skills To Enhance Employability In The European Labour Market

<< Background >>The BESPOKE project addressed the increased demand for concentrated attention and convincing online communication skills in the digital business, at the level of HE and CVET in the European Union and its Member States. This was especially amplified by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The project identified the need for updated curricula and employer involvement in assessment processes. The consortium, comprising five higher education institutions from four EU member states (CZ, DE, HU, and PL), with expertise in the digitalisation of international business education, and a not-for-profit association of employers, sought to address the challenges of digitalisation and prepare students for the evolving European labour market within the context of the fourth industrial revolution. The partnership focused on developing English-language business communication, presentation, and subject-specific problem-solving skills by adapting the pitch method in a digital environment, in collaboration with employers in line with EU and national policies on digitalisation. The project moved beyond traditional pedagogic methods, in line with European quality standards for higher education and fostering a practice-oriented approach.<< Objectives >>The project aimed to enhance the employability of full-time students and workers in short courses. This was achieved through several interrelated objectives.- Innovatively adapted pitch presentations into digital environment to assess business problem-solving skills in international business education by delivering concise presentations followed by digital Q&A sessions.- Increased employer involvement from curriculum review to feedback of material and active participation in digital pitch-style assessments in both academic and corporate settings.- Trained faculty members to effectively prepare students for digital pitch presentations and virtual interaction with employers, ensuring effectiveness and engagement.- Created digital portfolios to demonstrate students' professional competencies including videos of digital pitch presentations and interviews with potential employers. The project website served as digital hub for interactions between students and employers, showcasing the videos and making the digital pitch presentations available to enhance job applications.BESPOKE successfully bridged the academia–industry gap, equipping learners with the essential skills needed to succeed in the evolving digital business landscape.<< Implementation >>The core activities of the BESPOKE project entails enhancing learners’ business communication skills in a digital context are:Development of a methodology handbook in consultation with employer representatives, to adapt digital pitch-type presentations for academic and corporate settings.Integration of digital pitch-type presentations into undergraduate and the company trainings in 5 subjects selected: Entrepreneurship, Finance, Logistics, Marketing, and Sustainable Management.Creation of subject-specific e-learning materials to introduce the learners to digital pitch-type presentation delivery.Pilot trainings: overall 139 participants attended the pilot training 85 learners from partner universities and 54 work as an employee/trainee while studying at the university delivered digital pitch-type presentations. Participants received online training via MS Teams or Zoom, followed by feedback from faculty members and employer representatives, aimed at enhancing their business communication skills.Recording the performances and feedback of the learners, uploading to the project website.Finally, creating a “digital portfolio of professional competence” for learners to use in job applications.Dissemination of project results through internal and country-based multiplier events by consortium members and associate partners.<< Results >>Results in numbers: 10+25 faculty members developing the methodology handbook in 5 languages.25+5 faculty members trained for online pitch presentation5 subject-specific e-learning modules and one additional module for general use. The modules have been designed for higher education students and in-service training for employees.25+5 trained faculty members for online pitch presentation139 learners participated in the pilot trainings Publication of 30 videos showcasing 'good practices'Project website, which has been developed by all parties, contains all the materials that have been created. These include the handbook, the e-learning materials and the best practice video, which are all available as open-source tools. 5 multiplier events overall 141 (financially eligible) attendeesProject benefits: Participant: enhanced innovation and communication skills;Stakeholders, including local and central governments benefited indirectly. Educational institutions: insights into online communication methods and employer perspectives, strengthening competitiveness. Strengthened institutions-employers’ partnerships by company training session and developing executive training portfolio.Employers: improved internal HR processes. Learners: long-term career benefits via DPTP and company feedback. Learners: mind-set enrichment, fostering integrated thinking. Employers: learned to adapt negotiation techniques for virtual environments, enhancing competitiveness. Associated partners: insights into potential employees despite lacking direct personal interactions.