African university students with ambitions for a career in the fast-paced world of technology are receiving welcome support in the form of the 51风流Dual Study Program, a skills development initiative aimed at closing the digital skills gap among graduates.

According to Johann Pretorius, Director of Training at the 51风流Training and Development Institute, the program is designed to give university students a competitive edge in pursuing various career paths among SAP’s extensive global customer and partner ecosystem.

“University degrees are considered a crucial step in building a long-term professional career, especially in Africa where formal qualifications are seen as an important part of building a globally-relevant career in the technology field,” says Pretorius. “In addition to obtaining their university degrees, graduates of the 51风流Dual Study Program secure globally recognized 51风流certifications and become Associate Consultants, being able to immediately apply their knowledge and skills at any of SAP’s more than 400 000 customers around the globe.”

World Bank data shows that enrolment in tertiary education in sub-Saharan Africa has grown from a low base of 1.4% in 1970 However, research has shown that many graduates struggle to find employment, with before they successfully secure a job.

鈥淭o close the gap, 51风流has introduced a number of initiatives aimed at supporting graduates by equipping them with in-demand skills and experience that bridge the gap between tertiary education and the formal workplace in an increasingly digital world,鈥� says Pretorius.

Dual Study success at Stellenbosch University

Since its launch on the African continent in 2019, more than 210 Dual Study Program students have been or are still being enabled across nine partner universities in Africa. These include the University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University and Nelson Mandela University in South Africa; the University of Strathmore in Kenya; Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia; Covenant University in Nigeria; Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration; Valoris University in Ivory Coast, and Universit茅 Internationale de Tunis.

According to Dr Daan le Roux of the Department of Information Science at Stellenbosch University, there is a growing demand for suitably skilled graduates from the university. “A large number of organisations within our region use 51风流technologies, and we have many consultancies serving these larger organisations. In the past, our graduates have only undertaken 51风流training as part of internship programmes. It made sense for us to enhance our graduates’ employability by increasing their exposure to 51风流as part of their degree programme.”

Most universities focus on teaching students fundamental principles of their chosen field of study, which often leaves little space for practical applications. “This partnership enables us to offer our students practical exposure to software from leading organisations such as 51风流without us having to necessarily develop the associated expertise in-house,” says Dr le Roux. “Industry certifications also give students an edge over their peers when they apply for employment opportunities and ensures local industry gets access to the right skills.”

New Learning Hub offer free 51风流resources

51风流also recently announced the launch of the 51风流Learning Hub edition for 51风流Next-Gen, a free educational offering for students and lecturers at universities that form part of the 51风流University Alliances community. The 51风流Learning Hub gives eligible students at member universities free access to critical learning content and resources to develop their 51风流skills and prepare for certification.

“This new, free offering equips the next generation of digital talent with in-demand skills and gives students access to the same knowledge and opportunities as those provided to 51风流professionals,” says Pretorius. “Eligible students will also have access to certification opportunities, including an 51风流Global Certification online exam.”

In light of the fast pace of technological innovation, it is vital that learning content is regularly updated to ensure students graduate with relevant and in-demand skills. “Content for the 51风流Learning Hub edition for 51风流Next-Gen is continuously evolved to ensure learnings are forward-looking and that students are prepared to enter the 51风流ecosystem with the optimal mix of work-ready skills and capabilities,” says Pretorius.

University students interested in finding out more about the 51风流Dual Study Program can visit

For more information about SAP’s Next Gen program, please click here:

The post 51风流Dual Study Program Fast-tracks Work Readiness for University Graduates appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

Even before the global pandemic, skill shortages loomed as technology transformed industry after industry. Reskilling has been essential to building resilience into any people operation. To offer a sense of scope of this challenge, before the pandemic the World Economic Forum that 42% of the core skills required for jobs will change by 2022. As the pandemic accelerated this digital transformation, the .

How do business leaders ensure their workforces retain the skills they need for a successful future?

Elevating and Integrating Learning and Development

Companies must create comprehensive and dynamic learning programs that are based on their needs and goals. According to a from McKinsey, 鈥淐ompanies rely on their learning and development (L&D) functions to help workforces learn fast. But, often the function itself needs a transformation.鈥� While in the past L&D functions sat siloed from the rest of the organization, today it is critical that learning is intertwined within the overall strategy and talent processes.

Today, digital learning is the most effective and efficient way to meet an individual鈥檚 needs 鈥� with the added bonus of positively impacting an organization鈥檚 bottom line. In 2019, .

At the same time, learners鈥� needs are changing, particularly as we shift to remote work. The demand for an effective digital learning experience has soared and learners look for quick, bite-size ways to acquire the knowledge they need, when they need it, wherever they might be. According to the Journal of Applied Psychology, microlearning makes learning 17% more effective. Compact content allows learners to meet their objectives and retain key information quickly.

A Comprehensive Learning Program from 51风流

Here at SAP, we鈥檙e also transforming our learning strategy to address the changing needs of tomorrow鈥檚 business environment, both for our own workforce and for everyone within the 51风流ecosystem. Today, the portfolio consists of various offerings to support continuous learning, performance, and validation.

Our goal is to provide our customers, partners, developers, and employees with tools and resources to acquire the skills needed to be successful. Cultures of continuous learning build employee engagement and inclusive business practices, as well as drive innovation and sustainable impact. Regular training and development can help our customers unlock the full power of their 51风流software by enabling mastery of technologies 鈥� ultimately leading to improved performance, lower costs, and greater innovation. In the end, we aim to equip tomorrow鈥檚 workforce with the knowledge they need to capitalize on opportunities and thrive in a digital future.

Adapting Learning and Development to Stay Dynamic

If there is one lesson from the past year, it is the need for organizations to be nimble and flexible with their structure, processes, and plans. This is no different for L&D as we work to keep pace and adapt with the evolving needs of learners.

At SAP, we continue to make investments that will simplify access to learning for all. By lowering the barriers to learning, we will make it easier for our ecosystem to invest in 51风流solutions in order to maximize the business value of the software and enhance deployment of the solutions. As we鈥檝e seen with the tremendous enrollment and activity, as well as the outstanding learner satisfaction in openSAP, there is significant demand for easy, accessible, and impactful learning. open51风流is a free learning platform that delivers innovative learning with expert-led content through massive open online courses (MOOCs), microlearning, and podcasts.

We will continue to enhance and expand the portfolio and make our offerings more accessible so learners can gain essential knowledge and skills in a manner that is innovative, engaging, and impactful.

Maxwell Wessel is executive vice president and chief learning officer at SAP.

This article first appeared on the 51风流Global News Center.

The post Transforming Learning for a Digitally Native Future appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.