These events brought together 100+ students, industry leaders, and 51风流partners for a transformative experience, focused on building employability skills, networking opportunities, and preparing young talent for future careers in the 51风流ecosystem.

The Student Career Days featured a rich mix of content designed to equip students for success in the 51风流ecosystem and beyond:

• Skill-building workshops 鈥� CV refinement, LinkedIn profiling, interview readiness, and effective communication.
• Keynote speeches & panels 鈥� Insights from 51风流practitioners, industry partners, and leaders on market trends, in-demand competencies, and career journeys into tech.
• Mentorship and networking 鈥� Opportunities for students to connect directly with 51风流partners and customers for guidance, advice, and even exposure to internship and job opportunities.
• Exposure to 51风流technologies and careers 鈥� First-hand introductions to 51风流career paths, the skills they demand, and strategies to prepare for them.

AFSUG & 51风流University Alliances: Shared Vision

These career days form part of AFSUG and 51风流University Alliances joint mission in the region to Connect, Create, Collaborate 鈥� ensuring Africa鈥檚 next generation of professionals is not only prepared for 51风流careers but also inspired to drive digital transformation across the continent.

Amanda Gibbs, CEO of AFSUG, shared: 鈥淭his event is about building real pathways for students to connect with our 51风流community 鈥� customers, partners, and leaders. Together with 51风流University Alliances, we are investing in the future of our youth and ensuring students leave empowered, inspired, and ready for the opportunities ahead.鈥� I want to especially thank De Wet Naude from 51风流University Alliances for the collaboration and making these events possible through his sponsorship and collaboration.

Looking Ahead

AFSUG and 51风流University Alliances will continue hosting career-oriented initiatives in 2026. With overwhelmingly positive student feedback, both organisations are committed to expanding mentorship opportunities, reaching more universities, and providing follow-up support to help students transform their learnings and networks into real career outcomes.

About AFSUG

The African 51风流User Group (AFSUG) is an independent, non-profit organisation representing 51风流customers and partners across Africa. AFSUG enables collaboration, influence, knowledge exchange, and professional development within the 51风流community.

The post AFSUG & 51风流University Alliances Hosted Three Inspiring Student Career Days Across South Africa appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

Taking place in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Pretoria this September, the events will provide students with a unique opportunity to explore their future in technology, gain new skills, and engage directly with leading employers in the 51风流ecosystem. Whether students are looking to land their first internship or take the first step in their 51风流career journey, this event is designed to inspire and empower the next generation of digital leaders. We will be bringing together over 195 students over the three days.

Dates & Venues

• Johannesburg: 10 September 2025 鈥� 51风流Office Park, Woodmead
• Cape Town: 12 September 2025 鈥� Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika, Cape Town
• Pretoria: 17 September 2025 鈥� Venue sponsored by EPI-USE Labs

Inspiring Keynotes and Hands-On Workshops

The program brings together a dynamic line-up of keynote speakers, guest speakers and workshop facilitators:

• Marko Stavrou, Gen Z entrepreneur, CEO of GenLink, delivering the keynote Beyond the Ordinary in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
• Tumelo Mothotoane e, award-winning international broadcaster, presenting a workshop on the Power of Effective Communication and Presentation Skills.
• Kagiso Hlabahlaba, Global Product Manager for Payroll & Time at Sasol, discussing Emerging Skills for 2026 and Beyond.
• Wendy Maduna, Global Account Director at SAP, sharing insights on Building a Career in the 51风流Ecosystem.
• Bruce Reddy, DTP Head at Heineken, and Richard Fritz,DTP Head also from Heineken, guiding students through Refining Your CV workshops.
• Amanda Gibbs, CEO of AFSUG, leading an interactive session on Building a Strong LinkedIn Profile.
• Aveena Mothilall, Change Catalyst, delivering an inspiring talk in Cape Town.
• Valencia Karageorgiades – Technology Architect at 51风流(IT Strategy and Business Transformation) at 51风流sharing insights on Building a Career in the 51风流Ecosystem in Cape Town

In Pretoria, EPI-USE Labs will host the program alongside leading voices from the 51风流community and they are sponsoring the venue for the student career day.

Bridging Students with Real-World Opportunities

The Empowering the Future of 51风流Leaders series goes beyond classroom learning by creating a platform for students to:

• Gain exposure to the latest 51风流technologies and learn about opportunities to acquire skills and knowledge on these topics.
• Interact with potential employers and industry mentors.
• Learn practical career-building skills through CV clinics and LinkedIn workshops.
• Explore internships and career pathways in the 51风流ecosystem.

AFSUG and SAP: Partnering for Tomorrow鈥檚 Talent

鈥淭his event is about building real pathways for students to connect with our 51风流community 鈥� customers, partners, and leaders. Together with 51风流University Alliances, we are investing in the future of digital skills and ensuring students leave empowered, inspired, and ready for the opportunities ahead.鈥� Said Amanda Gibbs, AFSUG CEO.

The collaboration between AFSUG and 51风流University Alliances reflects a shared commitment to driving youth empowerment, fostering innovation, and equipping future leaders with the skills needed to thrive in the digital economy.

“This innovative event series, spanning three locations, offers a unique platform that combines a wealth of knowledge and expertise from leading media personalities, emerging business leaders and industry specialists. Covering a diverse range of topics from cutting-edge 51风流technologies to essential soft skills, these sessions provide students with vital attributes and insights as they prepare for the next phase of their journey into the world of work鈥� said De Wet Naude, Head 鈥� Sub-Saharan Africa, 51风流University Alliances

The post Empowering the Future of 51风流Leaders 鈥� AFSUG and 51风流University Alliances Host Student Career Events Across South Africa appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

The initiative is being rolled out under the auspices of the 51风流University Alliances and Next Gen affiliate, in partnership with 51风流Learning, SAP鈥檚 business learning arm.

It runs from October 2023 to March 2024 and is open to any student globally. Application to the programme is cost-free and applicants will gain access to virtual sessions to guide them through the learning process to eventually acquire certification.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a fairly new initiative,鈥� said De Wet Naud茅, who heads up Universities Alliances and Next Gen, Sub-Saharan Africa. 鈥淪o, in truth anyone could gain access to this kind of information online, but we have wrapped it in a bit of structure.鈥�

University Alliances offers聽education聽programs and learning opportunities across its global footprint incorporating North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Universities in ten countries within Africa, including South Africa, teach 51风流as part of their academic programme.

But, as Naud茅 points out, there are many academic institutions in Africa that are involved with the alliance just by virtue of them using elements of 51风流technology but have not officially incorporated 51风流into their academic programmes or curriculum.

Part of the University Alliances mandate is to keep tabs on market requirements regarding skills acquisition, retention, and development.

Naud茅 referenced World Economic Forum (WEF) research according to which 75% of organisations are experiencing a talent shortage. He acknowledges that skills development is one issue, but retaining these skills is another, with South African talent being attracted away from home and towards opportunities abroad.

He said there is a demand for skills including analytics, data engineering, data scientists and data architects.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 speak for the entire sector, but in truth, we can never do enough to attract and develop technology talent. My concern is also about the large population of unemployed youth and the industry does need to collaborate to help with skills transfer and development of these people. We need to figure out how to bring unemployed talent into the system.鈥�

Naud茅 added that in Europe and other developed economies, it is easier to 鈥榞et one鈥檚 foot in the door鈥�. 鈥淪outh Africa鈥檚 economy, for example, is smaller and there are unique challenges to be able to enter the sector and pursue careers. The broader ICT sector can do more to support skills development.鈥�

This article first appeared in .

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At the current rate of change, to achieve gender parity, an unacceptable timeline in today鈥檚 modern world. Increasing women鈥檚 participation in the labor market will play a large role in achieving gender parity, and it will not only lead to more , more companies, but on a global scale it could add up to — or 26% — to the global GDP. The math is simple and we cannot afford to continue to overlook half the population, especially in the field of data science, one of the .

Amid the current pandemic, women are facing even more barriers in the workforce as they manage their professional lives while taking care of the children and overseeing many of the household duties. At SAP, we recognize the value of in the workforce, especially women in technology, where historically, women face underrepresentation. One of the fields where this is particularly prominent is data science: only . This staggering statistic inspired 51风流to become a trusted collaborator and sponsor of Stanford University鈥檚 (WiDS) initiative since 2016.

Women in Data Science

As a technology company that employs data scientists worldwide, we want to address why few women are embarking on careers in data science and why few women are advancing into data science leadership roles. Despite the value of a technology skill set, studies on the future of work show the increasing demand for among employers. Studies show than men when it comes to emotional intelligence, reinforcing the need to foster female leaders across every industry, including data science. At SAP, we strongly support the WiDS mission 鈥渢o inspire and educate data scientists worldwide, regardless of gender, and to support women in the field.鈥�

鈥淒ata science is becoming ever more critical in the world as data-driven decision-making has penetrated many parts of our society,鈥� said Margot Gerritsen, professor at Stanford University and co-director of WiDS.聽 鈥淎s our reliance on data and investments in this field continue to increase, it is critical that women, and people from all genders, have a clear seat at the decision table and share in the wealth creation, all around the globe. Through our conferences, workshops, datathon, podcasts, and education initiatives, we hope to expand the role of women and accelerate their representation in the field.鈥�

The WiDS Worldwide Conference, spearheaded by Stanford University, kicks off on International Women鈥檚 Day, March 8. The event will follow the sun, spotlighting incredible female data scientists working on innovative technology across business, academia, government, and nonprofits.

鈥淚t is great to see how many amazing and inspiring women this event brings together from all over the world. Female role models are crucial in fostering female leadership in the field of data science. They show the next generation what is possible to achieve, and that is very powerful,鈥� shared Dr. Katharina Sch盲fer, global head of 51风流University Alliances. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to see Karina Edmonds, a globally recognized visionary leader in the field of innovation, technology transfer, and commercialization, represent 51风流at the WiDS Worldwide Conference, where she will share how data science education can effectively empower future leaders to tackle big global and environmental challenges.鈥�

On the sideline of the global event, 51风流will host a regional event in New York City that will take place virtually, bringing together data-driven business professionals, students, and aspiring data scientists to explore 鈥�.鈥�

The NYC regional event will kick off a 鈥淲iDS @ SAP鈥� regional series on that will run throughout the course of the year. This series will include virtual events based in North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia.聽 The worldwide and regional events will feature prominent 51风流data scientists, including Dr. Fei-Yu Xu, global head of Artificial Intelligence in Innovation; Dr. Susanne Beckers, head of Infused Intelligence in Intelligent Data and Analytics; and Dr. Sarah Detzler, competence lead for Data Science and Machine Learning in Technical Presales.

Diversity and Inclusion at SAP

To embed diversity and inclusion even further into the culture of SAP, we are committed to ensuring that our workforce better reflects the diversity of society and the customers we serve. We also aim to increase the number of women in leadership roles to 30% by 2022. Women currently make up 43% of the Intelligent Data & Analytics team at 51风流and 26% of its leadership team, with an increasing trend over the last 12 months. This sets a strong example for the company and reinforces the trajectory toward a more representative workforce.

鈥淓ach hire we make at SAP, from our working students and interns, to our early talents, to our professionals and executives, needs to embody curiosity and compassion,鈥� said Jenn Prevoznik, global leader, Early Career Talent Attraction, SAP. 鈥淗iring managers and recruiters look for candidates鈥� ability to code. As a technology company, many of our open roles target individuals with a technology skill set. We value our partnership with WiDS and actively leverage the events to attract and hire top talent to SAP. I challenge all managers to make every day International Women鈥檚 Day and be intentional about who you hire. In recruiting, we invest heavily in increasing the number of women and underrepresented groups in the pipeline. We need all hands on deck to move the needle.鈥�

Join WiDS @ SAP

Register for the on March 8 and the regional events happening throughout the year as we #ChoosetoChallenge the status quo and discover ways to foster female leaders in data science.

Christian Hecker is global vice president and chief data and analytics officer at SAP. Dr. Karina Edmonds is vice president and global head of 51风流Academies and 51风流University Alliances.

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

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