Project activities as a factor of professional well‐being

Today, project‐based teaching methods are actively developing in higher education. This format is a key tool for developing students' practical skills and professional competencies. This article presents the experience of training undergraduate students, implemented at the Business School of Tomsk Polytechnic University. The experiment on developing practice‐oriented activities involved undergraduate students of the first, second and third years of study in the following areas: 27.03.05 Innovation, 38.03.01 Economics, and 38.03.02 Management. Aim. To study the effectiveness of using the SCRUM methodology in the project activities of undergraduate students to develop professional and organizational competencies, as well as conditions for the professional well‐being of future specialists. Methods. Observation of student teams working according to the SCRUM methodology, analysis of the results of project implementation, reflection of participants, as well as generalization of the experience of interaction of students with industrial partners. Goal setting in the projects was carried out using SMART technology. Result. A two‐year study showed that the use of the SCRUM methodology helps develop teamwork skills and effective communication among students. Project activities helped identify areas for improving educational programs and form sustainable relationships with enterprises. Involvement of industrial partners in educational and project activities allowed students to gain experience in solving production problems relevant to customers, which increased the students' readiness for successful professional implementation. Conclusion. The integration of innovative practices (project activities based on SCRUM and SMART) into the educational process contributes to the development of professional competencies and the formation of prerequisites for the professional well‐being of students, including adaptability, career confidence and motivational stability. This approach ensures the establishment of closer cooperation between enterprises and universities, stimulates the development of human capital focused on the needs of the innovative economy. The results of the study can be used to improve educational programs and the quality of training specialists in the field of innovation, economics and management.