As the world navigates an era marked by climate volatility, geopolitical shifts, and rapid technological advancements, the foundational role of skills in driving both decent work and sustainable business transformation has never been clearer. The global education goal, as defined under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is significantly off course. UNESCO and other leading institutions warn that without urgent intervention, we will not achieve inclusive, equitable, quality education for all by 2030. In the face of this “polycrisis,” a critical opportunity emerges: to invest in skills as the bridge between today’s challenges and tomorrow’s solutions.
The latest World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2025 underscores this imperative. The report identifies the skills gap as the biggest barrier to business transformation worldwide. Simultaneously, the EY Mobility Reimagined Survey 2025 reveals that 52% of global businesses are experiencing acute talent shortages. These findings highlight a stark disconnect: while millions of young people remain unemployed or underemployed, businesses are unable to find workers with the right capabilities. The solution is clear — we need a coordinated, inclusive approach to reskilling and upskilling.
SAP is supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for South Africa and programs like SAP Educate to Employ contribute to the achievement of key SDG Goals in South Africa.
Under South Africa’s G20’s Presidency Digital Transformation Strategy echoes this urgency. It prioritizes digital inclusion, human-centric innovation, and a future-ready workforce. This aligns with the growing recognition that economic growth and technological advancement cannot be separated from social equity. Digital skilling must be inclusive, accessible, and focused on creating tangible employment outcomes — especially for youth and underserved communities.
One promising response to this challenge is the SAP Educate to Employ initiative, a flagship ‘learn-to-earn’ program spearheaded by SAP’s Corporate Social Responsibility team. Launched in South Africa in late 2023, the program provides marginalized individuals — including non-degree holders — with foundational and professional digital skills aligned with market demands. Through micro-credentials and SAP certification pathways, learners gain the competencies necessary to enter and thrive in the digital economy.
What makes SAP Educate to Employ particularly powerful is its systemic approach. The program addresses not just skills and knowledge but also attitudes and values that foster long-term employability. SAP partners with nonprofit organizations and education providers to ensure that content is locally relevant and globally recognized. By successfully placing South African learners into real jobs — SAP has demonstrated that skills-based pathways can open doors even in economically strained contexts.
Take Jamie-Lee Gysman, for example. Before joining the program, she lacked direction and confidence in her career path. After completing her SAP certification, she successfully entered the workforce and now works as a SuccessFactors Functional Support Consultant at Sanlam. “Before joining, I had no clear path forward, but the SAP certification opened doors to opportunities I never thought possible,” she shares. “I no longer felt limited by my lack of experience or qualifications.” Her story is one of many that demonstrate how accessible, skills-based learning can unlock potential and empower the next generation.
The program which has been incubated in the Global South, is now expanding into the Global North, creating a global network of learners and employers within and beyond the SAP ecosystem, proving that solutions born in the Global South can have far-reaching, global impact.
If we are to transform the promise of digital innovation into inclusive prosperity, we must treat skilling as infrastructure. Business, government, and civil society must collaborate to scale effective programs like SAP Educate to Employ, integrate them into national strategies, and ensure that every individual — regardless of background — has the opportunity to learn, earn, and contribute.
During the Future of Jobs Summit at T20 South Africa 2025, held at the DP World Wanderers in Johannesburg, I shared SAP CSR’s approach to youth employment across the G20. I emphasized that solving the youth employment challenge requires improvements in three key areas: the efficiency of demand planning, the efficiency of supply training, and the efficiency of matching the two.
From Global South to Global North, skilling isn’t just a policy agenda. It is the cornerstone of equitable growth and resilient transformation.
About the Author:
Eugene Ho is the Global Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Director at SAP. He is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Jobs and Frontier Technology and serves on the Humanities & Interdisciplinary Studies Advisory Committee at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, supporting efforts to bridge education, innovation, and workforce transformation.
