In a landmark development in the Australian digital landscape, Victoria University Polytechnic (VUP) has teamed up with the German tech giant to offer an innovative training program aimed at bridging the widening gap for SAP skills in the country.
Victoria fosters meaningful collaborations with industry behemoths, a fact exemplified by their relationship with SAP. This synergy saw a milestone in 2022 when SAP Australia and New Zealand (SAP ANZ) identified Victoria University as the ideal venue for the establishment of the country’s inaugural SAP Academy. This strategic collaboration, along with others like it, plays a pivotal role in the University’s ongoing mission to maintain its standing at the forefront of digital skills education, preparing its constituents for the rapidly evolving professional landscape.
In the same vein, the freshly rolled out training program, a partnership between Victoria University Polytechnic and SAP, is a cornerstone of the Victorian Government’s visionary $63.8 million Digital Jobs initiative. The program serves as a targeted strategy designed to address and alleviate the rapidly mounting digital skills deficit in the region. At its core, this initiative is laser-focused on equipping mid-career professionals with the essential digital skills needed to remain competitive in today’s increasingly digital-centric job market.
Envisioned as a transformative journey, the training program starts with an exclusive cohort of 38 carefully chosen professionals. These individuals are set to embark on a comprehensive 12-week course that zeroes in on vital SAP learning modules, namely S/4HANA Financial Accounting and S/4HANA Management Accounting for SAP Consultants. The meticulous structuring of the course also ensures that participants gain a deep understanding of these pivotal elements, forming a solid foundation upon which to build their SAP expertise.
Industry-Academia Collaboration: The Way Forward
Shedding light on the program, Damien Bueno, the President and Managing Director of SAP Australia and New Zealand, explained that the prevalent shortage of skills in Australian businesses necessitates innovative approaches to talent attraction and development. Emphasizing the partnership with Victoria University Polytechnic, Bueno also illustrated SAP’s unwavering commitment to developing digital prowess in high-demand roles and boosting the digital acumen necessary for their customers and partners to thrive in the digital economy.
“Our partnership with Victoria University Polytechnic represents SAP’s commitment to creating new pathways for workers to access and further their technology skills in high-demand roles. Doing so also lifts the digital capabilities and experiences necessary for our customers and partners to succeed in this new digital economy,” Bueno further added.
Complementing Bueno’s perspective, Wayne Butson, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Vocational Education at VUP, expressed excitement about their collaboration with SAP. Butson also reiterated that to resolve the digital skills crisis, industry-academia partnerships are paramount, with the target being a course that offers the digital skills businesses require now and in the foreseeable future.
Program Participants Eyeing Career Advancement through New SAP Skills
As the program kicks off, participants such as Deepa Nair and Margit Robertson have expressed their enthusiasm for the potential career growth that the acquisition of new digital skills could bring about. Deepa Nair shared her aspirations of transitioning into a role that combines technical proficiency and digital transformation consultancy. Meanwhile, she emphasized her eagerness to leverage the SAP skills obtained from the program to support businesses in their digital transformation endeavors.
Echoing Nair’s sentiments, Margit Robertson, who has a background in circular economy consulting, explained her interest in the program by emphasizing the importance of data transparency in driving business innovation and sustainable growth. Robertson further remarked:
“I’m looking forward to developing my expertise through this course so that I can pursue a career that enables me to help businesses become intelligent, sustainable enterprises with SAP.”
Through partnerships like these, the future of digital skills in Australia seems promising. As Victoria University Polytechnic and SAP continue their commitment to upskilling Australia’s workforce, the nation also stands to see exponential growth in the proficiency and application of SAP skills.