ICT job creation program launched at Strathmore University.
NAIROBI, Kenya — SAP Africa and Strathmore University have today announced a partnership on a job creation program under the SAP Skills for Africa Initiative. Dubbed the SAP Dual Study Program, this initiative co-sponsored by SAP has awarded scholarships to thirty students towards the globally recognized SAP Associate Financial Consultant certification. Apart from the technical training, the students will get a chance to enhance their business acumen and refine their project management, communication, presentation, negotiation among other skill sets. The program will kick-off in October 2015 until March 2016 when they will sit for their certification exam. Afterwards, participants will get an internship opportunity in the SAP Eco System, which will eventually lead to full employment.
This project complements The Kenya National ICT Masterplan (2017) which emphasizes the need to develop sustainable high end ICT skills in the country that meets industry’s transforming needs. As more African economies are fast growing, there is a huge demand for SAP consultants. A variety of companies large and small are turning to SAP ERP to run their business better in Africa.
Andrew Waititu, Managing Director, SAP East Africa said: “SAP is committed to driving business in Africa with the ultimate objective of improving people’s lives through deployment of innovative industry specific solutions in mainly the public sector, energy & natural resources, telcos and infrastructure. This commitment is backed by a Board-approved investment plan up to 2020.”
A key component of SAP’s Africa Growth Plan, is the training of new consultants in Africa in the next five years. These skilled people will enable governments and private sector to improve the way they do business across the continent and ultimately the World – ultimately driving prosperity through job creation.
In 2012, the ICT Authority and SAP partnered to roll out the Skills for Africa programme and offer specialised skills certifications to bright graduates from disadvantaged backgrounds and women. Out of the initiative, a total of 63 graduates were presented with SAP Certification in 2014 and 52 were awarded in 2013. Most of the graduates are now gainfully employed.
“When we started working on the SAP Skills for Africa Programme our vision was that of ensuring that we have adequate high-end ICT skills in Kenya. This would ensure that our young people have jobs and our companies are sustainable. I am glad that these skills are now being inculcated right at the university level, before students get to the job market. I want to congratulate Strathmore and SAP for taking up this initiative and call on more universities to partner with SAP,” says Victor Kyalo, the CEO of the ICT Authority.
Dr. Joseph Sevilla, Director of Strathmore University’s @iLabAfrica ICT Research centre said SAP and Strathmore partnership would go towards deepening the university’s academia/industry collaboration
Strategy and was alive to Strathmore University’s policy for quality and relevance of training. “Strathmore University and SAP share the vision of developing partnerships that advance the availability and relevance of technical skills in the market. We see this win-win initiative further encouraging the deepening of automation by African businesses through use of enterprise software products such as SAP,” he said.
These programs are being offered at the @iLabAfrica Research Centre, an institution of Excellence in ICT under the Faculty of Information Technology. @iLabAfrica is focused on Research, Innovation, Business Incubation and Training to catalyze projects geared towards achieving Kenya’s Vision 2030.
Skills for Africa is SAP’s umbrella program to provide accessible SAP orientated training and jobs to the youth of Kenya.
Under Skills for Africa SAP has already implemented the Scholarship program, training and certifying over 100 unemployed graduates in SAP- providing them with internationally recognized certifications and attachment with our SAP Partners and customers.
Through the SAP University Alliances, a global program of over 2,300 participating universities, Strathmore University joined the shared vision to better prepare skilled graduates entering the workforce. This win-win initiative will further close ERP skills gaps and disrupt the rising Goliath of unemployment in the continent.
From 2014, Strathmore University joined the Enterprise Systems Education for Africa (ESEFA) project, a three year Public Private Partnership Project worth over € 3 million that targets select African Universities co-financed by DEG (Deutsche Investitions-und EntwicklungsgesellschaftmbH) and SAPSE. Students are given an opportunity to learn about Enterprise Systems using SAP ERP software. The core curriculum comprises of SAP Navigation, procure-to-pay, sales-to-cash and inventory management business processes. Over 150 students undertaking IT and Commerce courses have benefited from the training so far.
In building on this momentum, the Dual Study program in collaboration with Strathmore, allows high-caliber university students to obtain SAP functional or technical certifications during their studies. This allows students to leave university with both academic and industry relevant qualifications, improving the employability of graduates in industry.
SAP and Strathmore are proud to partner on the Dual Study program, representing the next era in Skills for Africa and creating a long term pipeline of ICT skills, to proactively address current and future skills requirements in Kenya.
About SAP
As market leader in enterprise application software, SAP (NYSE: SAP) helps companies of all sizes and industries run better. From back office to boardroom, warehouse to storefront, desktop to mobile device – SAP empowers people and organizations to work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively to stay ahead of the competition. SAP applications and services enable more than 293,000 customers to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and grow sustainably. For more information, visit www.sap.com
With more than 1,300 customers across the continent, SAP is already enabling African businesses and governments to grow, scale and globalise, as well as make the transition to a digital economy. As part of this commitment, SAP Africa now takes responsibility for operations across 52 African countries.
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About @iLabAfrica Research Centre
@iLabAfrica is a Centre of Excel-lence in ICT innov¬a¬tion and Devel¬op¬ment set up by Strathmore University in Janu¬ary 2011. It is an independent entity in the Faculty of Information Technology. It was established to address the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and to contribute toward Kenya’s Vision 2030. The research center is involved in interdisciplinary research, students’ engagement, collaboration with government, industry and other funding agencies. Log on to: http://www.ilabafrica.ac.ke
About the Strathmore University
Strathmore University is a leading not-for-profit University in the region, whose mission is to provide all-round quality education in an atmosphere of freedom and responsibility; excellence in teaching, research and scholarship; ethical and social development; and service to society. Strathmore seeks to become a leading out-come driven entrepreneurial research university by translating our excellence into a major contribution to culture, economic well-being, and quality of life. Log on to: www.strathmore.edu
For more information, press only:
Antonia Stafford Ashton, SAP Africa, +27 (21) 528 1700, antonia.ashton@sap.com CAT
Graeme Scala, FleishmanHillard SA, +27 (11) 548 2000, graeme.scala@fleishman.co.za CAT
Ivan Sang, Strathmore University,+254727636883,isang@strathmore.edu
