SAP ANZ recently hosted two exciting events in Melbourne and Auckland centred around unleashing the potential of accelerating youth skills development. The hackathon-style experiences were designed in collaboration with SAP’s AppHaus Partners – Bourne Digital, part of Accenture, and Datacom – providing a platform for students to explore their talents and understand the critical role of technology in addressing key sustainability challenges. The experiences took place over two days and gave students the chance to compete for an internship opportunity.
“At Bourne, we believe in empowering the next generation of innovators and leaders. Hosting this event in partnership with SAP for students from local universities is a testament to our commitment to accelerating learning and fostering a culture of continuous growth. Together, we aim to unleash the full potential of the cloud and equip these talented minds with the skills to shape the future of technology. Let’s S.C.A.L.E new heights together!” – Tanvi Mittal, Bourne Digital Partner Representative
Across the two days, students participated in expert-led workshops, seminars, and interactive sessions, and learnt how to approach solving sustainability challenges through AppGyver and SAC to design and implement business solutions. By empowering young minds with technical skills and an understanding of sustainable practices, we pave the way for a generation of innovators ready to think through critical challenges and embrace technology for the greater good.
The S.C.A.L.E program displays the confidence we can have in a future fit platform, with a future fit workforce to serve and solve the problems of today and beyond.” – Dave Payne, Associate Director of Core Platforms Datacom
From Classroom to Coding: Hacking the path to Cybersecurity
One of the participants, Nubuwa Yellub, is a young Indigenous student based in Townsville who has had a noteworthy journey from the classroom into the world of tech.
Fuelled by curiosity, Nubuwa’s fascination with technology began when he moved from remote Mabuiag Island in the Torres Strait, to attend secondary school at St Augustine’s College in Cairns on a scholarship from the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF), one of SAP’s community partners.
Nubuwa witnessed his peers at school hacking computers which sparked a keen interest in technology and led him on a journey to explore and eventually master the programming language Python.
“I’ve always had an interest in technology, and I was fortunate enough to participate in Navy Cadets in high school where I saw how technology could be applied to all aspects of the Navy. This experience furthered my interest in technology and inspired me to think about how I could pursue a role in technology, particularly in cybersecurity.” – Nubuwa Yellub, participant, SAP SCALE
The only Indigenous student in his current tertiary cohort, Nubuwa’s journey was fast-tracked when he was invited to attend SAP’s S.C.A.L.E event in Melbourne, supported by AIEF.
The experience brought with it a blend of nerves and excitement about the opportunity to travel to the city of Melbourne for the first time on his own. Nubuwa’s team worked together and won at the event with their presentation on “Green Spaces”, designing and building an app in under two days to help the residents of Melbourne better utilise their green infrastructure and support the city in adapting to climate change.
Nubuwa Yellub, Participant, SAP SCALE Melbourne
Accelerating Skill Development
As the world faces pressing sustainability challenges, nurturing talent in various domains becomes essential to fostering innovative solutions. Central to the design of the event was accelerating student skill development and providing emerging talent with the necessary combination of digital and soft skills to enter the labour market and actively engage in their communities.
Over forty students from multiple disciplines engaged in the sessions and participants were encouraged to embrace their unique talents so they could gain valuable insights into potential career pathways aligned with their areas of interest.
Apart from technical skills, the focus was also on cultivating skills such as empathy, collaboration, and critical thinking. Students had access to SAP mentors, partner-experts and executive stakeholders throughout the two days, to further support equipping them with the essential qualities demanded in today’s dynamic job market.
“I’m now at a crossroads because of the SAP event…I’ve seen how they operate and the opportunities to create new products and apps, and I now think this could be a great career path for me to further develop my skills in SAP platforms and accelerate my direction into cybersecurity.” – Nubuwa Yellub, participant, SAP SCALE
Learning SAP skills provides the ability to work in a variety of organisations, and helping to foster connections between students and industry offers a fertile ground for nurturing collective ideas and finding synergies to address global challenges more effectively.
Scaling the Opportunity
Nubuwa’s evolving aspirations, transitioning from the classroom to cybersecurity, reflect the profound impact hands-on learning and mentorship can have in accelerating a career trajectory. But what truly stands out is his resilience and willingness to embrace new experiences, a story representative of the transformative power of tech and seizing opportunities to chart a unique course.
By investing in youth skills development, we invest in a world of opportunity. Through these events, SAP ANZ hopes to act as a catalyst for further development and greater experiences that encourage more students to recognise their unique potential.
Want to accelerate your career with SAP?
If you’re a student looking to upskill with SAP, we invite you to explore learning.sap.com – SAP’s free online learning platform, offering courses on SAP’s latest innovations and how to navigate the digital economy. We also encourage you to register to join our Talent Community to stay informed about our new job postings and upcoming events.