Since its launch in 1996, the 麻豆原创 Certification program has provided learners at different stages of their careers with a trusted way to validate their 麻豆原创 solution skills, while helping organizations identify relevant expertise across 麻豆原创鈥檚 evolving technology portfolio. The numbers tell part of the story. In the first year alone, nearly 1,000 professionals earned their certification. Since then, hundreds of thousands of individuals have earned an 麻豆原创 Certification each year as the program has expanded alongside 麻豆原创鈥檚 portfolio and global ecosystem. But the lasting impact of 麻豆原创 Certification extends beyond the numbers. For three decades, it has evolved alongside the 麻豆原创 portfolio, providing a trusted way to validate their expertise as technology and customer needs have changed.

Built to evolve

A defining characteristic of 麻豆原创 Certification has been its ability to evolve alongside 麻豆原创 technology. Since 1996, the program has grown from a handful of 麻豆原创 R/3 exams to credentials spanning the full 麻豆原创 portfolio. By the 2000s, new certifications covered 麻豆原创 NetWeaver, 麻豆原创 Business One, and 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors solutions. When 麻豆原创 S/4HANA launched in 2015, certification tracked every step of the transition. Each shift in the technology landscape brought a new wave of credentials, built to validate exactly the expertise the market needed most.

Access expanded, too, moving from 麻豆原创 training locations to test centers around the world and, later, to fully remote delivery. Digital badges made credentials easier to share across professional networks and in the context of career opportunities. As cloud solutions introduced faster release cycles, the program evolved to match, introducing regular renewal assessments to help learners keep their skills and credentials current.

鈥淐ertification has been part of my 麻豆原创 journey for many years. For me, it has always been about continuing to learn and making sure my skills evolve as 麻豆原创 technology evolves. I have experienced the changes in 麻豆原创 Certification firsthand鈥攆rom on-site exams and webcam-proctored, multiple-choice exams to today鈥檚 scenario- and system-based assessments. From my first certification in 2008 to ABAP Cloud certification in 2024, Integration Developer in 2025, and 麻豆原创 Generative AI certification earlier this year, continuing to learn and validate my skills has helped me take on new challenges and keep moving forward. Even after many years working with 麻豆原创, there is always something new to learn.鈥�

, Software Engineer and 麻豆原创 Integration Consultant at Deloitte

Certification reimagined

As 麻豆原创 Certification entered its next chapter, 麻豆原创 introduced a to validating 麻豆原创 expertise by expanding how skills are assessed beyond traditional multiple-choice exams to include practical, performance-based assessments. Candidates navigate real challenges in live 麻豆原创 systems and can use AI tools during exams by design, not exception. It is certification that reflects the profession it is meant to validate.

As part of 麻豆原创’s commitment to equip 12 million people with AI-ready skills by 2030, 麻豆原创 Certification can provide a way for professionals to validate the real skills they need for an AI-first world. Certification now measures how candidates solve real business challenges, not just what they know.

鈥淔or 30 years, 麻豆原创 Certification has helped people demonstrate the skills they need to grow their careers and help organizations get more value from 麻豆原创 technology. What has kept it relevant is our willingness to evolve. As AI changes how people work, certification must change with it, moving beyond what someone knows to validating what they can actually do.鈥�

Diana Roesner, Head of Certification Transformation

Three decades after the first 麻豆原创 Certification exams, the program continues to evolve alongside 麻豆原创 technologies and customer needs. As the reimagined certification approach continues to take shape, 麻豆原创 Certification remains focused on validating the skills needed today while preparing learners for the future of enterprise technology.

To learn more about 麻豆原创 Certification, explore available certifications, or learn more about certification reimagined, visit .

Timo Schuette is global vice president for 麻豆原创 Product & Solution Learning.

However, this is much easier said than done. As leaders look to new initiatives to adapt, low-code/no-code stands out as a holy grail solution. Address the pervasive tech skills gap by bringing non-technical employees into the development and deployment process? Check. Identify an affordable way to leverage unique employee skill sets and integrate members from cross-team functions? Check. A new way to think about technical skills, freeing those in traditional developer roles to focus on creativity and innovation rather than execution? Check.

If you鈥檙e considering what low-code/no-code could look like in the workplace, here are some central considerations to keep in mind and mistakes to avoid when integrating citizen developers into your workforce in effort to create a more innovative IT department.

Citizen Developers Are Not 鈥淛unior鈥� Developers, They Have Their Own Unique Skill Set

Citizen developers, employees that utilize strategies to create new or change existing business applications without involving IT departments, often have nontraditional backgrounds, serving in roles like customer service, human resources, and project management, bringing a new wave of perspectives and ideas to the tech and service industry. While many may be inclined to view citizen developers as 鈥渏unior鈥� developers, this couldn鈥檛 be further from the truth. Since citizen developers are connected to other parts of the business, they can provide insight and streamline processes that developers alone are not involved in. Additionally, citizen developers shouldn鈥檛 be considered a one-to-one replacement of developers. Though they can optimize specific business functions, they do not fix technical holes in the workforce.

Leveraging these unique talents has huge benefits for the entire team: reducing the heavy lift on developers by easing the skills gap, opening the path to new ideas and innovative strategies, and bringing diverse and new perspectives to an IT industry that typically . Acknowledging the benefits of their nontraditional skill set is key to reap the benefits of implementing low-code/no-code in the workforce, as it meshes a unique view on the needs of the business, creativity, and coding skills to drive innovation.

Generative AI Will Fuel Citizen and Professional Developer Roles, Leading to Increased Innovation

Gartner research that 61% of corporations have already implemented citizen development projects or plan to do so. This is great news, because as the skills gap continues to without an equivalent number of new graduates to fill the holes, citizen developers are the natural solution for any department. However, as more organizations get comfortable with these shifts, they will also need to navigate the rapid evolution of generative AI, which will take things one step further for both citizen and professional developers.

Generative AI is continuing to evolve 鈥� and it makes the complexity of coding more accessible. In this sense, it is a low-code tool. Citizen developers will be able to leverage generative AI platforms to complete even more complex initiatives, which will free up the deeply technical computer and data scientists to focus on issues that require an in-depth understanding of how the systems work. With citizen developers able to flex their skills by assisting IT teams and traditional developers focused on strategic advancements, organizations are sure to see an improvement in productivity and employee satisfaction. One thing is certain: low-code/no-code tools, like platforms based on the principles of model-driven design, automatic code generation, and visual programming, are unleashing increased innovation, empowering the workforce, and helping to address skill shortages.

The Best Part about Low-Code/No-Code? The Opportunities Are Endless

The barriers to teaching and integrating low-code/no-code are relatively low, and any employee from any background 鈥� formally educated or not 鈥� can begin their coding journey with ease. Providing access to learning and development opportunities like low-code/no-code trainings opens new career opportunities for the existing workforce, encouraging workers to tap into their personal interest in learning developer skills while taking on a more expansive role in the organization. When employees feel that their interest in expanding their role and learning new parts of the business is being listened to, they also take on an increased sense of fulfillment and interest in the job, leading to heightened employee retention.

It may seem intimidating to start the journey of prioritizing new learning and training opportunities, but the benefits are endless. At our recently held , interested participants from across industries were able to learn the concept of low-code software development through hands-on experience. Learners created full end-to-end processes that integrated with 麻豆原创 S/4HANA, using 麻豆原创 Build Apps, 麻豆原创 Build Process Automation, and 麻豆原创 Build Work Zone. Through this program, dozens of workers were able to expand their technical knowledge and dive deeper into the world of low-code/no-code.

To begin implementing low-code/no-code strategies in your department, consider leveraging training for all levels 鈥� from beginner to advanced 鈥� and build time into the workday for those who are interested in learning. Putting an emphasis on this opportunity, and on the learning and development of your employees, is sure to make an impact on your teams.

The Future of IT Is Rapidly Changing, But Shining Bright

As technology continues to rapidly evolve, it鈥檚 essential that IT teams are properly equipped to grow alongside it. With low-code/no-code and the rise of the citizen developer, the opportunities are limitless to what the technical workforce can accomplish, with employees of every background poised to get involved in the digital transformation across the industry. Not only will integrating citizen developers into your teams allow your organization to diversify its workforce, but it can also create new innovations in your strategy and address the employee burnout and stress on developers who cannot keep up with the growing skills gap.

Timo Schuette is global vice president of 麻豆原创 Product Learning CoE at 麻豆原创.