Pitching simulation @ Microsoft

The advertising team from Microsoft welcomed sixth form students from a local Academy to their offices and gave them a live client pitch to run with.

Project description

Microsoft volunteers ran a carefully chosen icebreaker ideal for 6th Form students and gave the students access to their customer experience centre which houses all the latest technologies. For the main part of the event the students were briefed and then put into teams and asked to come up with a phone app concept for one of Microsoft’s clients, Lucozade, to help generate more customers.

Each team of students was supported through the process with their own pair of volunteer facilitators and spent the morning preparing to present to three volunteer judges - Dragons Den-style – and a prize was awarded to the winning team.

Both the students and the volunteers remarked on how much they had learned in such a short space of time. The ideas the students put forward were inventive and offered the advertising team valuable insight into young people’s perspectives on brands & advertising. Some interns were also volunteering which helped to peak students’ interest in the Microsoft Internship scheme.

The day gave students a real world experience whilst everyone got a chance to practice their team-work and presentation skills.

Interacting with young people, applying skills to new context
New insight and ideas from the students in relation to the live client brief
Challenging student groups requiring advanced facilitation and coaching Practical understanding of client briefs and creating a business pitch, from start to finish
Teamwork: listening, decision-making and collaboration skills
Working with professionals to come up with both innovative and realistic ideas

Time & Talents input: initial mediation; coordination and logistics support for the volunteer team leader in relation to activity format, bespoke facilitation tools, team role allocation and delivery timetable. Time & Talents also provided volunteer briefing and on the day support, and gathered feedback to distil project insights

Download full case study

Pitching Simulation in pictures

Kicking off with networking
Working together in teams
Students (right) pitch to judges (left)

"I gained more confidence from speaking in public, developed my teamwork and presentation skills. From the event I also learnt to speak to all kinds of people even people who I have nothing in common with and was able to have an interesting conversation (people bingo ice-breaker sessions)"

Student (17yrs old), Academy

Quotes

The winning team: one of the students is now considering a career in advertising rather than finance as a result of the day
Volunteers: “It’s the first time I’ve ever had to deal with any people of that age, so it was interesting to see how they all reacted and whether I could help them get organised etc.”
“Energising, inspiring and a rewarding experience!”
“I think my skills applied well, working with people/ encouraging them to network and guide them on presentation structure. Working with the young people. Highlight: They were very positive, engaged and proactive. It was a pleasure. Learning: Encouraging/ guiding ideas without inflicting my own point of view.“
“I learnt that the students need to have more confidence in themselves because they really can achieve what they want to if they put their mind to it. Definitely increased my confidence in getting my point across and working as a team to achieve a certain goal. Highlight: Seeing the presentations that the students had put together and the enthusiasm that we inspired them to have about work.”
(Author: )

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