Successful pitching is a skill necessary for polytechnic students to impart their ideas in the arena of academia and work. The study looks at several facets of an effective pitch: structuring the content, verbal and non-verbal communication, engaging the audience, and visual aids. It also points out common problem’s students face, such as stage fright, lack of clarity, and failure to engage with the audience. Employing a combination of both quantitative and qualitative methods, the study uses survey analysis and thematic insights from student interviews and focus groups. The mixed-method analysis shows that students who engaged in pitching activities more often were noted to be more confident with structuring their pitches, and this confidence was closely linked to performance-related communication skills, including clarity in verbal expression and non-verbal communication. However, the study pointed out that training alone does not significantly change students' confidence or participation in pitching activities, thereby indicating a need for students to be exposed to more pragmatic learning experiences. The insights gathered have fed into suggestions of giving more exposure to real-life pitching activities, to intensify communication training through more interactive exercises, and to incorporate AI-enabled feedback and mentorship programs in training. The research takes a step forward in improving the readiness of students for their academic, entrepreneurial, and professional futures.