UKISUG launches S/4HANA Academy to combat SAP skill gap

The UK & Ireland SAP User Group (UKISUG) has unveiled its S/4HANA Academy to tackle the current shortage of skills in the field of SAP business and technical consulting.

UKISUG's new initiative comes in response to findings that highlight significant challenges organisations face due to a lack of SAP skills. According to research conducted by UKISUG, 63% of organisations fear that limited availability of skilled personnel could hinder their progress in transitioning to S/4HANA. Additionally, 86% of companies report that inadequate hands-on training prevents them from fully leveraging their SAP investments, with 30% of these organisations stating the issue is substantial. Furthermore, 72% are worried about the potential departure of employees with SAP skills.

Craig Dale, Chief Executive of UKISUG, stated: "SAP skills availability continues to be a concern, as more organisations embark on their S/4HANA journey. We have identified a lack of alignment in training materials, gaps within existing content and insufficient hands-on training as the three main gaps facing organisations today. Through working closely with the UKISUG user and partner community, our S/4HANA Academy aims to provide our members with the skills they need to implement, support and maintain S/4HANA."

The S/4HANA Academy offers both face-to-face and online learning experiences, designed to cater to various user roles such as IT Project Managers, Database Administrators, Infrastructure Leads, Basis Specialists, Developers, Enterprise Architects, and Business Analysts.

The academy's curriculum consists of six modules, each presented in person, tailored specifically for both technical and functional/business users. These modules include S/4HANA Overview, Solution Architecture, Network and Security, Application Development, Analytics and Data Management, and Customisation. Each module provides specialised knowledge applicable to different scenarios in S/4HANA implementation.

Feedback from the pilot programme for the S/4HANA Academy has been very positive, with the first official courses slated to commence in the first quarter of 2025.

Craig Dale further commented: "Our S/4HANA Academy brings together a unique combination of conceptual content from SAP alongside empirical knowledge from the UKISUG user and partner community. Ultimately, it is our aim to develop a series of academies which are aligned to different SAP technologies. We believe that offering a dedicated private learning platform can make a significant contribution towards re-skilling and upskilling the SAP community."