SAP eyes user group summit to address skills shortage

 

International skills not always applicable.

A lack of Australian-specific SAP skills has kept the software giant on the skilled migration list for nine years, but the company is trying to address the shortages, the acting chair of SAP Australia's user group has said.

The SAUG will host its annual summit in Sydney in early August.

High on the current list of discussion topics, Paul Hawking told iTnews, will be the changing focus of SAP skillsets brought about by the software company's acquisition of Business Objects.

"Business intelligence and corporate performance management skills are such a moving target," Hawking said.

SAP skills generally have been in-demand for a number of years. The sector is undergoing continued consolidation and the Australian Visa Bureau has also recently issued a call to attract SAP skills from the UK.

Hawking said one of the issues with SAP skills - particularly those found in emerging markets - is they aren't necessarily applicable in more mature markets.

"One of the big skills shortages [locally] is also Australian payroll [but] you're not going to get skilled migration related to these skills - you'll just get people with a general payroll background," Hawking said.

Hawking hoped the SAUG summit would provide corporate and government SAP users alike with some of the skills they would need to roll out and continue with their projects.

He expected around 500 delegates to the event, but hinted numbers could be down on 2008 due to travel restrictions on executives.

More sessions could be streamed onto the internet as a result, he said.


SAP eyes user group summit to address skills shortage
""Must have SAP expertise" in job ads has become a filter for screening out people who haven't worked for large companies - rather like "must know the secret handshake to join the club". No fault ..."
By frances
 
 
 
Comments: 2
suzyggg
Jul 21, 2009 8:15 AM
When you use the phrase "labor shortage" or "skills shortage" you're speaking in a sentence fragment. What you actually mean to say is: "There is a labor shortage at the salary level I'm willing to pay." That statement is the correct phrase; the complete sentence, the intellectually honest statement.

If you start raising your wages and improving working conditions, and continue to do so, you'll solve your “shortage” and will have people lining up around the block to work for you even if you need to have huge piles of steaming manure hand-scooped on a blazing summer afternoon.

Re: Shortage due to retirees: With the majority of retirement accounts down about 50% or more, people entering retirement age are being forced to work well into their sunset years. So, you won’t be getting a worker shortage anytime soon due to retirees exiting the workforce.

Okay, fine. Some specialized jobs require training and/or certification, again, raise your wages and improve benefits! You’ll incentivize people to self-fund their education so that they can enter the industry in a work-ready state. The attractive wages, working conditions and career prospects of technology during the 1980’s and 1990’s was a prime example of people’s willingness to fund their own education.
frances
Jul 21, 2009 12:37 PM
"Must have SAP expertise" in job ads has become a filter for screening out people who haven't worked for large companies - rather like "must know the secret handshake to join the club". No fault of SAP of course, but HR recruitment departments use the phase believing SAP-aware recruits will hit the ground running. In reality the practice simply encourages poaching from like-minded companies and stifles the entry of new minds; diverity is therefore compromised. The look and feel of SAP is usually company-specific anyway, so post recruitment training is required regardless of prior exposure. Human Remains departments are sometimes their own worst enemy. Funny ol' world.
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