SAP eyes user group summit to address skills shortage

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.