Amidst the ever-evolving dynamics of the labour market, business graduates continuallyfind themselves adapting their skill sets to stay competitive and relevant. Extensiveresearch has delved into employability, highlighting the pivotal role of soft skills inadequately preparing business students for today's labour market. Notably, existingliterature indicates that the cultivation of these skills often occurs during youth and isparticularly profound within university settings. However, a debate arises regarding theeffectiveness of business universities in imparting soft skills to students. Given this, priorstudies advocate for closer collaboration between business schools and industry to aligneducation with professional demands and equip students with essential soft skills. In thiscontext, internships emerge as a focal point, with previous research emphasizing theirrole in effectively developing soft skills among students. However, there remains a needfor further research to comprehensively understand how internships influence the processof the development of soft skills. Through a qualitative study and the incorporation ofwell-known theories related to this area, we will delve deeper into this subject. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of internships in enhancing theemployability of business students by contribution to the process of developing four keysoft skills: communication, teamwork, self-management, and problem-solving. Thisobjective is pursued by addressing the following research questions: How can internshipscontribute to the process of the development of communication, teamwork, self-management, and problem-solving skills among Swedish nationals enrolled in businesseducation programs? To achieve this, we conducted in-depth interviews with sevenformer business administration students, all of whom completed internships. Theseindividuals secured employment before their graduation dates, spanning from 2022 to2023, and are all Swedish nationals who pursued their business education at universitiesin Sweden. Through these interviews, we gained insights into their subjectiveexperiences. It has been found, with the application of the experiential learning theory, human capitaltheory, and emotional intelligence theory, that internships indeed contribute to the processof developing communication, teamwork, self-management, and problem-solving skillsamong business students. Furthermore, enhances students’ employability. The analysisindicates that alumni collectively emphasize that internships significantly contribute tothe development of these soft skills, crediting practical experiences, increasedresponsibility, and exposure to workplace dynamics. Consequently, we suggest thatbusiness students should engage in internships. Further, that both business universitiesand organizations at large should encourage and support them in achieving this goal

Aim. In close cooperation with an international automotive supplier we developed the “C2” business simulation game in order to meet real work practice needs. Based on the example of a site-location decision and the setup of a new factory in China, the participants of the game experienced the challenges of an interdisciplinary project team as well as project management in complex and rapidly changing situations. During the game we used the creative learning method LEGO® Serious Play®,1 which helps to express different understandings through hands-on modelling. The aim of the game is to acquire and improve both technical project management knowledge and soft skills of the participants. Method. In total, 47 students participated in one of six two-day game sessions. They reported self-perceptions about their skill level through pre- and postgame questionnaires. Further data were collected during the simulation game based on observations, lessons learned reflections of the participants and evaluation questionnaires. Results. Results from our pre- and post-game self-assessment questionnaires show that the “C2” business simulation game improves not only conceptual knowledge about project management but also team working and the participants’ other soft skills. Results indicate that the students’ reactions to the simulation game were positive, and students felt that the LEGO Serious Play method helped them to better cope with challenges of teamwork, influences of stakeholders, risk factors and unpredictable project situations. Conclusion. These results suggest that our business simulation game has the potential to be an effective learning and training tool to provide students with relevant skills necessary for project managers. By giving students the opportunity to act in an authentic scenario based on a real project case, we can support their action-oriented as well as their trial-and-error learning, or in short their learning through experience.