SAP to build 1.5 million Digitally Skilled Workforce by 2020

NEW DELHI: SAP SE today reiterated its commitment towards customers and partner ecosystem by pledging to help ramp up workforce in the country to take forward the digital transformation agenda.

In the wake of GST roll-out and Digital India initiative, the 51+ million SMEs in the country will eventually have to onboard or scale their technology infrastructure. It will therefore give rise to an industry wide requirement of digital experts who will have the capability to enable enterprises transition to a digital platform. SAP understands the urgency to fulfil this necessity.

SAP India commits to skill, reskill and upskill 1.5 million SAP consultants to plug this digital gap within the next three years.

“Our partner ecosystem is the “lifeline” that connects us and our customers,” said Deb Deep Sengupta, President and Managing Director, SAP Indian Subcontinent. “Currently, an estimated 2 lakh SAP consultants thrive within our partner ecosystem which contributes approximately USD 8 billion in revenues. SAP in India has a defined and a clear partner strategy that propels our objective of growing together.”

To fulfil this significant digital gap, SAP India has started various initiatives and launched new programs through the partner ecosystem:
· Accelerating ‘Bharat ERP’ program training via technology centers of M/o MSME
· Expansion of SAP Authorized Training Centres in tier 2 and 3 cities
· Providing ‘Digital Learning Kits’ with focus of up-skilling and re-skilling
· Integrating new-age technology curriculum across universities and education institutions

In addition, several innovative initiatives are in the pipeline:
· ‘Center of Excellence’ in select education institutions in collaboration with partner ecosystem
· Training Demand Aggregation using cloud-based SAP application

Currently, 320+ Indian universities and education institutes are members of SAP university alliance program having introduced SAP technologies to more than 3 million students.

SAP launches Partner Packaging Factory to Fast-Track Digitization

At the annual Partner Summit 2017, SAP India announced the launch of Partner Packaging Factory, an industry-first online initiative that aggregates end-to-end SAP packages developed by partners. These packages are built to include SAP software, services, maintenance in addition to hardware.

SAP Partner Packaging Factories includes solutions for-
· SAP S/4HANA
· SAP Cloud
· SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence (coming soon)
· SAP Analytics Cloud (coming soon)

Partner packaging factory has 45 templatized solutions for SAP S/4HANA and SAP Cloud as of now. This initiative will create unique opportunities for partners to reinvent business models, drive volumes and enhance revenues.

“SAP Partner Packaging Factory opens up an exciting new customer engagement opportunity for our partners,” said Anthony McMahon, Senior Vice President, General Business (SME) & Channels, SAP Asia Pacific Japan. “It is a one stop shop for SMEs to evaluate SAP solutions and fast-track their digital transformation journey.”

Partners Co-innovate To Drive Customer Success

SAP’s best-in-class technologies and platforms augments the capabilities of its partner ecosystem to co-innovate. This synergistic collaboration by SAP and partners result in new offerings and solutions for the digital era that enhance customer success.

itelligence India Software Solutions Pvt Ltd.
· International full-service providers of IT solutions
· Areas of Focus: Automotive, Manufacturing, Chemicals, Consumer Products, Wholesale and Distribution, Healthcare and Life Sciences
· SAP Solutions: GST in a Box, SAP Business By Design, SAP SuccessFactors, SAP Hybris, SAP HANA
· Co-Innovations: ‘Design Factory’, a solution built on SAP Business By Design that helps increase customer adoption on GST ready cloud based ERP.

vCentric
· International IT services and consulting company
· Areas of Focus: Automotive, Retail, Steel and Fabrication, Life Sciences
· SAP Solutions: S/4HANA, C4C
· Co-innovations: Logiswift a solution for Logistics & Transportation industry

ZenFocus Software Private Limited
· IT investment consultancy
· Areas of Focus: Consumer Electronics, Education, Financial Services, Healthcare, Hospitality, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Public Sector, Real Estate, FMCG, Utilities and Energy
· SAP Solutions: SAP S/4HANA, SAP SuccessFactors, SAP Ariba
· Co-Innovations: ‘RapidSTART’ created for simple and rapid implementation of SAP SuccessFactors

Infiniti TechLabs LLP
· Business IT solutions provider
· Areas of Focus: Pharmaceuticals, Manufacturing, Projects, Professional Services
· SAP Solutions: SAP S/4HANA and SAP ERP solutions
· Co-Innovations: ‘planA’, a financial planning & analysis tool built on SAP Cloud Platform