Today, educators across disciplines face a common challenge: preparing students with the analytical skills employers increasingly demand.

According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report, analytical thinking ranks as the top sought-after skill in the job market. Yet traditional teaching often struggles to connect theory with practice in a way that truly engages students.

It’s not a shortage of content or tools; rather, it is a gap in relevance and inspiration that leaves students disengaged from the very skills that could define their careers. Learning needs to be anchored in real-world data, meaningful contexts, and hands-on experience that sparks curiosity and excitement. The best learning doesn’t come from memorizing concepts, it comes from doing, especially when theory is tied to a topic that learners care about.

This is where , in collaboration with the NHL, comes in.

We have created a new Business Builders game that brings hockey into the classroom—not just as a sport, but as a rich, real-world data environment for teaching analytics and critical thinking.

In this latest edition of games under the Business Builders umbrella, students take on the role of a hockey analyst responsible for identifying the factors that drive goal scoring using real NHL Game data.

“Hockey is fast, dynamic, and full of rich data, a perfect environment for teaching critical thinking,” said Brant Berglund, senior director of Coaching and GM Technology at the NHL. “Leveraging a strategic partnership with NHL, SAP, and HEC Montréal, we’ve created a pathway for universities to access approved NHL.com data for academic initiatives, without compromising the integrity of the League‘s data.”

Through our collaboration with the NHL, we provide a learning platform for educators that is full of authentic data students can relate to. The NHL generates just under 1.5 million data points per game, including about 120 shot attempts, 1,000 passes, and 5,000 puck touches—raw material for deep, practical analysis.

Business Builders can ignite an interest in STEM and help students build real data skills. The hockey-focused game was developed by the team at ERPsim Lab at HEC MontrĂŠal led by Prof. Pierre-Majorique LĂŠger, as well as the support of academics from other universities. This reinforces a core principle of Business Builders: It is created by educators, for educators.

“When the question feels meaningful, learners lean in, stay focused, and keep pushing forward,” Léger explained. “For students in sport management or business management, real sport data can also elevate the learning experience. It adds context, complexity, and constraints that traditional teaching methods cannot provide. Students learn to judge what truly matters, justify their decisions, and manage trade-offs. This develops professional judgment, confidence in analytics, and the ability to communicate strategy and decisions clearly. These skills translate directly to real careers in sport management and business.”

Students explore questions such as:

• What sets top NHL scorers apart?
• Does shot angle affect scoring?
• Which NHL players lead in goals scored, and from what distances?
• Which shot speeds and shot types yield the highest goal conversion rates?

By analyzing these scenarios with 51ˇçÁ÷Analytics Cloud, students learn to interpret visualizations, tell compelling data stories, and sharpen their data-driven decision-making and critical-thinking skills.

For professors, the platform is equally powerful. Business Builders supports active learning at scale by enabling educators to manage and evaluate larger groups more efficiently while gaining visibility into student engagement. This makes grading easier, supports discussion-based learning, and helps instructors understand how students interact with data.

By introducing a modern, meaningful learning experience—far more dynamic than slides alone—professors bring real-world relevance into their classroom and elevate the impact of teaching.

SAP’s role in this collaboration reflects its broader commitment to education, skills development, and preparing students for the future workforce. In a rapidly changing world shaped by AI, data, and digital transformation, access to practical learning tools that build real competencies is essential. Through the 51ˇçÁ÷University Alliances program, 51ˇçÁ÷works with educational institutions around the world to help bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world practice.

“Access to business software and real data is essential for preparing students for the future,” said Dr. Katharina Schaefer, head of Academic Partnerships at SAP. “With free learning platforms like Business Builders, we empower educators to bring enterprise analytics into the classroom and help students develop the skills that are increasingly in demand across industries, and in a world where data and AI define the competitive advantage. Today’s learners need more than conceptual understanding; they need practical experience with real software and real data to build confidence and readiness for work life.”

One of the educators closely involved in shaping this new game is Prof. Olivier Caya from the University of Sherbrooke, who contributed his perspective as both a faculty member and practitioner.

“What makes this experience so powerful is that it all happens in 51ˇçÁ÷Analytics Cloud, the same solution used by thousands of organizations worldwide,” Caya said. “This creates a strong connection between what students do in the classroom and what they will encounter in professional practice. Students are not working with software detached from reality; they are developing skills with the same software used in real business environments.”

The result is a learning experience that is fun, interactive, and relevant. Educators can stand out with a state-of-the-art platform that connects passion with pedagogy, while students gain highly sought-after skills using real software from a global technology leader.

Business Builders is provided free of charge to educators and students and includes access to 51ˇçÁ÷Analytics Cloud. It is designed from beginner-friendly introductions to more advanced analytical challenges optimized for master’s-level courses.

After using Business Builders, students can deepen their analytical knowledge through access to , a free learning platform that offers guided learning content, practice systems, and up to two 51ˇçÁ÷certification exam attempts per year, helping them to boost their career opportunities even further.

Business Builders is about connecting passion with education. Together with academic and industry partners, 51ˇçÁ÷is making analytical thinking tangible and memorable—empowering the workforce of tomorrow with the skills that matter most today.

The Hockey Analyst: Turn Passion for Sports Into Powerful Learning with Real NHL Game Data

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“The Moving Beyond Inclusion: Partnerships and Reconciliation Project began in 2021 as a pilot program with five available partnership opportunities. 51ˇçÁ÷Canada was the first organization to sign on, with Pagefreezer, Microsoft, and Bench Accounting following shortly thereafter,” said Lauren Kelly, Director, Sector Transformation at the First Nations Technology Council. “We’ve seen that a lot of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work does not have enough emphasis on cultural safety and systems change to make a tangible impact. As a result, we saw a need to do more than focus on inclusion and design actions grounded in reconciliation with an Indigenous lens. That’s how Moving Beyond Inclusion was born.”

“The work we’re doing is advancing reconciliation by creating corporate cultures and environments that make space for Indigenous worldviews, culture, and thought leadership. We are doing this work in service of Indigenous peoples to increase influence, leadership, and self-determination in the digital age so we can design what our digital future looks like for ourselves,” said Denise Williams, Technology Council CEO. “In the process, we’re tackling racism, and exclusion in the tech sector head-on, both on a provincial and national scale. The ripple effects of this will likely be seen and felt internationally. We’re disrupting the status quo.”

The Technology Council, along with partners Chastity Davis-Alphonse, Shelley Joseph, and Reciprocal Consulting, supports program participants in developing a strategic and coordinated, actions-based approach to identifying and addressing barriers that prevent Indigenous persons from accessing employment, having a positive experience, and thriving within the respective company. Both participants and the Technology Council are aligned in their vision of increasing opportunities and leadership for Indigenous peoples in the technology and innovation sectors, developing a deeper understanding of race bias in these sectors, and creating tangible responses to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Actions while advancing meaningful reconciliation in a demonstrable way.

“Diverse perspectives fuel innovation,” said Cindy Fagen, Managing Director, 51ˇçÁ÷Labs Canada. “We joined the Moving Beyond Inclusion partnership with the First Nations Technology Council in acknowledgement of our responsibility to make reconciliation a focused pillar of our diversity, equity and inclusion strategy. Over the past few months, FNTC has guided us in examining our internal structures, policies and processes, and how they might be optimized for full inclusion of Indigenous people in our organization. We are excited to move from insights to action as we continue this journey alongside a community of technology industry peers.”

“While Pagefreezer has been driven by the values of inclusion, diversity, and equal opportunity since its inception, we realize that there’s more work to be done. We need to better educate ourselves, and carefully listen to Indigenous community leaders to learn what we can do to ensure equity in the workplace,” says Kaitlin Graves, Pagefreezer’s VP of People. “We also believe that we can play a part in the larger movement. With the First Nations Technology Council Moving Beyond Inclusion project, we saw an opportunity to illustrate for the BC Tech community how smaller start-ups can take meaningful steps towards reconciliation. It’s our goal to foster an equitable and inclusive work environment in which Indigenous people are well-represented, succeed professionally, and feel at home.”

“We recognize that workplace culture is built by the actions of the people within it and see this program as a tremendous opportunity for our teams to learn and engage in reconciliation,” explains David Seymour, Engineering Site Leader for Microsoft Vancouver. “We see the Moving Beyond Inclusion partnership as an important way to move forward in our journey to honour, share, celebrate and integrate Indigenous peoples, traditions and worldviews.”

“Bench is committed to the ongoing work of becoming an anti-racist and anti-oppressive company. And in the same breath, taking responsibility for the part we must play in the work of reconciliation and decolonization can feel daunting. We have so much gratitude and respect for the work and generosity of the First Nations Technology Council and the Moving Beyond Inclusion: Partnerships and Reconciliation Project. The Technology Council’s strategic and wise guidance are invaluable to us in these early days of what we know is a long journey ahead of us—one we are unwaveringly committed to.” —Ian Crosby, CEO of Bench Accounting

For more information on Moving Beyond Inclusion, please visit our website: technologycouncil.ca/MBI

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MONTREAL, CAN — January 21, 2021 — 51ˇçÁ÷Canada today announces a new investment in Montreal to co-locate its existing offices in the city to a brand-new space at 5 Place Ville Marie and add 30 employees to its team. This is the first 51ˇçÁ÷office in the company’s global network to be purpose-built for the future of work and will be a demand-driven space to accommodate the future of work in a post-pandemic world. The multi-million dollar renovation of 51ˇçÁ÷Canada’s new space at Place Ville Marie is indicative of SAP’s commitment to the Quebec market, which the company views as a world-class technology hub.

“51ˇçÁ÷has a deep history in Montreal, and we recognize the city as a global innovation hub with incredible talent and tech ecosystem,” says Cindy Fagen, Managing Director, 51ˇçÁ÷Labs Canada. “With this new office in the city, we are cementing our position as one of the Montreal’s leading employers and a key player in Canada’s growing digital economy. The new office will be designed to support our people with a space that enhances productivity, innovation and collaboration. Globally, 51ˇçÁ÷is looking to this new Montreal facility as a visionary workspace model from which to draw inspiration for other offices around the world.”

Further signaling SAP’s investment in Montreal, the new Place Ville Marie office will also include the creation of a new engineering unit, to work on SAP’s Consumer Industry Cloud, which builds custom technology solutions for more than two dozen industries globally. This investment will immediately create 30 net new positions, bringing the total headcount for 51ˇçÁ÷Montreal to 1,000 employees. More growth is expected throughout 2021.

“The crisis caused by the pandemic affects downtown Montreal, but it has not made the city any less attractive, as shown by SAP’s decision to open a new office in Place Ville Marie. Our habits will be forever changed due to COVID-19 and it’s especially interesting to see this new office that will be designed to meet the needs of employees at the end of the pandemic. The city can keep counting on its exceptional workforce in the digital sector, which is key to the city’s economy and it will certainly play a critical role in its economic recovery. We are proud to be able to count on 51ˇçÁ÷Labs’ contribution to the downtown core,” said the Mayor of MontrĂŠal, ValĂŠrie Plante.

MontrĂŠal International, Greater Montreal’s economic promotion agency, is working with 51ˇçÁ÷Canada on its expansion. “2021 is starting strong! SAP’s project is a great example of the key role foreign businesses play in driving economic growth in the region, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such investments will create highly qualified jobs in Montreal’s downtown core, as well as contribute to support the existing business ecosystems and the area’s commercial recovery. Since 2018, MontrĂŠal International has assisted more than 100 foreign investment projects in MontrĂŠal’s downtown core, for a total of more than 3 billion dollars, creating some 12,000 new jobs,” said StĂŠphane Paquet, President and CEO of MontrĂŠal International.

“The announcement regarding the opening of 51ˇçÁ÷Canada’s new office speaks to the vitality of our technology ecosystem,” noted Hubert Bolduc, President of Investissement QuĂŠbec International. “We are very proud to see a key player in the enterprise application software industry continue to make major investments in our city. We will continue to stand by Cindy Fagen and her team, while supporting her efforts to attract foreign talent.”

Designed by renowned Sid Lee Architecture, the new office will address the realities of work in a post-pandemic world. Through the construction of the new office, 51ˇçÁ÷is creating a new kind of flexible environment that accommodates the new reality of work. The new Montreal office will consist of approximately 65,000 square feet across the top two floors at 5 Place Ville Marie and will replace SAP’s existing offices on Robert-Bourassa and de Maisonneuve.

The future of work at 51ˇçÁ÷will be characterized by flexibility. This mode of working will prioritize 4 Cs: concentration, collaboration, communication and community.

“The space is activated with strategies that foster culture and innovation. The narrative is based on a new concept we like to call ‘home base destination’ – that provides the teams with dedicated spaces, which are highly flexible to meet their ever-changing needs. Now more than ever, in a post-COVID era, our goal is to enhance a sense of belonging, and for people to feel motivated and inspired by their working environment,” says Marie-Andrée Busque, Architect and Project Director at Sid Lee Architecture.

Construction at Place Ville Marie is already ongoing with an expected move-in date of September, 2021. Those interested in applying to any open roles at 51ˇçÁ÷Montreal can do so at .

For more information, visit the 51ˇçÁ÷News Center or follow 51ˇçÁ÷on Twitter at .

About SAP

SAP’s strategy is to help every business run as an intelligent enterprise. As a market leader in enterprise application software, we help companies of all sizes and in all industries run at their best: 77% of the world’s transaction revenue touches an SAPÂŽ system. Our machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics technologies help turn customers’ businesses into intelligent enterprises. 51ˇçÁ÷helps give people and organizations deep business insight and fosters collaboration that helps them stay ahead of their competition. We simplify technology for companies so they can consume our software the way they want – without disruption. Our end-to-end suite of applications and services enables business and public customers across 25 industries globally to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and make a difference. With a global network of customers, partners, employees, and thought leaders, 51ˇçÁ÷helps the world run better and improve people’s lives.

With more than 3,000 employees across the country, we are a highly regarded Canadian employer, recognized with 15 top employer awards in 2020 alone. For more information, visit .

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