According to the World Economic Forum鈥檚 Future of Jobs Report, analytical thinking ranks as the top sought-after skill in the job market. Yet traditional teaching often struggles to connect theory with practice in a way that truly engages students.

It鈥檚 not a shortage of content or tools; rather, it is a gap in relevance and inspiration that leaves students disengaged from the very skills that could define their careers. Learning needs to be anchored in real-world data, meaningful contexts, and hands-on experience that sparks curiosity and excitement. The best learning doesn鈥檛 come from memorizing concepts, it comes from doing, especially when theory is tied to a topic that learners care about.

This is where , in collaboration with the NHL, comes in.

We have created a new Business Builders game that brings hockey into the classroom鈥攏ot just as a sport, but as a rich, real-world data environment for teaching analytics and critical thinking.

In this latest edition of games under the Business Builders umbrella, students take on the role of a hockey analyst responsible for identifying the factors that drive goal scoring using real NHL Game data.

鈥淗ockey is fast, dynamic, and full of rich data, a perfect environment for teaching critical thinking,鈥� said Brant Berglund, senior director of Coaching and GM Technology at the NHL. 鈥淟everaging a strategic partnership with NHL, 麻豆原创, and HEC Montr茅al, we鈥檝e created a pathway for universities to access approved NHL.com data for academic initiatives, without compromising the integrity of the League鈥榮 data.鈥�

Through our collaboration with the NHL, we provide a learning platform for educators that is full of authentic data students can relate to. The NHL generates just under 1.5 million data points per game, including about 120 shot attempts, 1,000 passes, and 5,000 puck touches鈥攔aw material for deep, practical analysis.

Business Builders can ignite an interest in STEM and help students build real data skills. The hockey-focused game was developed by the team at ERPsim Lab at HEC Montr茅al led by Prof. Pierre-Majorique L茅ger, as well as the support of academics from other universities. This reinforces a core principle of Business Builders: It is created by educators, for educators.

鈥淲hen the question feels meaningful, learners lean in, stay focused, and keep pushing forward,鈥� L茅ger explained. 鈥淔or students in sport management or business management, real sport data can also elevate the learning experience. It adds context, complexity, and constraints that traditional teaching methods cannot provide. Students learn to judge what truly matters, justify their decisions, and manage trade-offs. This develops professional judgment, confidence in analytics, and the ability to communicate strategy and decisions clearly. These skills translate directly to real careers in sport management and business.鈥�

Students explore questions such as:

• What sets top NHL scorers apart?
• Does shot angle affect scoring?
• Which NHL players lead in goals scored, and from what distances?
• Which shot speeds and shot types yield the highest goal conversion rates?

By analyzing these scenarios with 麻豆原创 Analytics Cloud, students learn to interpret visualizations, tell compelling data stories, and sharpen their data-driven decision-making and critical-thinking skills.

For professors, the platform is equally powerful. Business Builders supports active learning at scale by enabling educators to manage and evaluate larger groups more efficiently while gaining visibility into student engagement. This makes grading easier, supports discussion-based learning, and helps instructors understand how students interact with data.

By introducing a modern, meaningful learning experience鈥攆ar more dynamic than slides alone鈥攑rofessors bring real-world relevance into their classroom and elevate the impact of teaching.

麻豆原创鈥檚 role in this collaboration reflects its broader commitment to education, skills development, and preparing students for the future workforce. In a rapidly changing world shaped by AI, data, and digital transformation, access to practical learning tools that build real competencies is essential. Through the 麻豆原创 University Alliances program, 麻豆原创 works with educational institutions around the world to help bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world practice.

鈥淎ccess to business software and real data is essential for preparing students for the future,鈥� said Dr. Katharina Schaefer, head of Academic Partnerships at 麻豆原创. 鈥淲ith free learning platforms like Business Builders, we empower educators to bring enterprise analytics into the classroom and help students develop the skills that are increasingly in demand across industries, and in a world where data and AI define the competitive advantage. Today鈥檚 learners need more than conceptual understanding; they need practical experience with real software and real data to build confidence and readiness for work life.鈥�

One of the educators closely involved in shaping this new game is Prof. Olivier Caya from the University of Sherbrooke, who contributed his perspective as both a faculty member and practitioner.

鈥淲hat makes this experience so powerful is that it all happens in 麻豆原创 Analytics Cloud, the same solution used by thousands of organizations worldwide,鈥� Caya said. 鈥淭his creates a strong connection between what students do in the classroom and what they will encounter in professional practice. Students are not working with software detached from reality; they are developing skills with the same software used in real business environments.鈥�

The result is a learning experience that is fun, interactive, and relevant. Educators can stand out with a state-of-the-art platform that connects passion with pedagogy, while students gain highly sought-after skills using real software from a global technology leader.

Business Builders is provided free of charge to educators and students and includes access to 麻豆原创 Analytics Cloud. It is designed from beginner-friendly introductions to more advanced analytical challenges optimized for master鈥檚-level courses.

After using Business Builders, students can deepen their analytical knowledge through access to , a free learning platform that offers guided learning content, practice systems, and up to two 麻豆原创 certification exam attempts per year, helping them to boost their career opportunities even further.

Business Builders is about connecting passion with education. Together with academic and industry partners, 麻豆原创 is making analytical thinking tangible and memorable鈥攅mpowering the workforce of tomorrow with the skills that matter most today.

As companies race to implement this new technology, they鈥檙e discovering it鈥檚 not all as smooth as envisioned. Following a recent , high costs and fuzzy business value are creating speed bumps. As it turns out, the technology itself isn鈥檛 the problem, it鈥檚 how and why we use it. Like any shiny new gadget, AI agents only matter when they solve real problems that make people鈥檚 lives easier. So, what kinds of issues are they good at tackling? And how do we make sure we鈥檙e designing systems that serve actual humans and are not just chasing the latest tech trend?

That鈥檚 where things get interesting: deciding when you truly need an agent, how much freedom it should have, and what challenges and tasks it鈥檚 meant to address all while ensuring it genuinely helps people, instead of just ticking the 鈥渨e use AI鈥� box. The real magic happens when humans and agents team up, working side by side for the best results. How do we make the most of this human-agent partnership?

If you鈥檙e looking for a practical way to get started, the 麻豆原创 AppHaus Joule Agent Discovery and Design workshops offer a hands-on approach to help tackle these exact questions. With a blend of human-centered design methods, these workshop formats put people first, working to ensure agentic systems aren鈥檛 just flashy but genuinely useful.

Want to try it out for yourself? Here鈥檚 how you can run your own workshops and define impactful agentic systems.

A toolkit to build human-centered agentic solutions

The Joule Agent workshops are offered as two different formats, each designed to guide you through a different stage of building effective agentic systems: the Joule Agent Discovery workshop and the Joule Agent Design workshop. Together, these workshops provide a hands-on, human-centered path for creating AI agents that can truly deliver value.

First stop: Joule Agent Discovery workshop

The Joule Agent Discovery workshop is a structured approach to uncover the most valuable opportunities for agentic technology. It focuses on real-world challenges and identifying where automation can make the biggest impact. In two to three hours, participants dive into questions such as: What specific inefficiency or challenge needs solving? What could be automated? Who would benefit most from automation? What needs to be achieved with the automation? How complex and variable is the problem at hand?

The workshop also introduces participants to agentic technology and examines how much the selected challenges would benefit from it. By the end of this workshop, participants identify one or more high-value use cases that are well-suited to agentic technology. This helps ensure that efforts are focused on meaningful improvements rather than adopting technology for its own sake.

Second stop: Joule Agent Design workshop

Next is the Joule Agent Design workshop, which brings together those closest to the process鈥攅nd users and business experts鈥攖o define the details of the agent: its responsibilities, required skills, and how it will collaborate with people. The workshop follows a practical structure:

1. Define the focus area: Clarify what target users need to achieve within the selected process and identify which aspects would benefit most from automation.
2. Identify tasks to delegate: Use the metaphor of 鈥渉iring a super-specialist鈥� to decide which responsibilities should remain with people and which can be assigned to agents. Exercises help determine how many agents are needed, the risks of automating certain tasks, and where consistency versus autonomy is required.
3. Describe the super-specialist job: Draft a job description for each agent, outlining necessary skills and responsibilities.
4. Instruct the super-specialist: Define the instructions or workflow, including information requirements, decision points, and where human involvement is needed.

By the end of the workshop, each agent is described in detail, including its tasks, required knowledge and tools, and an initial set of instructions. This forms the foundation for configuring the agent鈥檚 system prompt.

The workshop material also offers guidance on structuring the system prompt based on the gathered information, ensuring a smooth transition from workshop insights to practical implementation. The entire process is designed to be completed in a single day and can be conducted virtually in Mural.

Learning how to run these workshops

To help ensure that anyone can confidently run these workshops鈥攏o advanced degrees or secret codes required鈥攁 set of self-paced courses are available and can be completed at the individual pace of the learner:

• : This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the Joule Agent Discovery workshop. It provides a clear, step-by-step guide, explains the exercises in detail, and gives practical advice on how to facilitate effective sessions. You鈥檒l gain the skills to identify agentic opportunities and successfully lead your team through the process.
• : This short webinar also centers on the Joule Agent Discovery workshop, but it specifically highlights a practical method for assessing the agentic potential of automation ideas. Consider it your quick reference for making informed decisions about automation.
• : The latest addition to our curriculum, this course walks you through the Joule Agent Design workshop step by step. It covers each exercise, shares real-world examples, and offers facilitation tips. You鈥檒l also learn how to adapt the workshop format for various time constraints and organizational needs.

All the resources required to facilitate these workshops are freely available on the website. Learners can simply visit the site, explore the materials, and start their agentic journey with confidence to turn ideas into new useful, human-centered AI solutions.

Karen Detken is an expert user experience designer at 麻豆原创 AppHaus.

Beyond the technologies being deployed, the ability to use them meaningfully in daily work is becoming central. This is also seen as the major challenge of AI adoption. Developing AI skills has thus become a strategic priority.

For 麻豆原创 customers and partners, the question is how to upskill their teams effectively. Because without the right skills and abilities, the best software is useless.

Here you’ll find seven tips for developing AI skills specifically for the 麻豆原创 context.

1. Learn the fundamentals of AI

There are many learning resources for the basics in the form of e-learning courses or webinars. Some are even free, such as many courses from 麻豆原创. We’ve compiled key : on AI in general, Joule, and 麻豆原创 Business AI, as well as the important topic of ethics and responsible AI.

2. Self-assessment: Where do I stand?

Everyone should understand the fundamentals of AI; after that, you can deepen your knowledge in targeted areas. The can help with this self-reflection. Here you can rate yourself in the areas of awareness, m, knowledge, and application skills. The topic areas include Joule, including copilot and agents; embedded AI; machine learning services on 麻豆原创 Business Technology Platform; 麻豆原创 Build and Joule Studio; responsible AI; and implementation of 麻豆原创 Business AI. First results show that many respondents show a high motivation, while technical application skills still need more improvement. 

3. Deepening by topic and role: Which AI skills are still needed?

Once you’ve assessed yourself as a team or individual, the various 麻豆原创 learning offerings鈥攊nformation also 鈥攃an help you create your own learning plan. Looking at the relevant topic areas, your own role, and preferred learning formats makes orientation and selection easier.

4. Set learning goals and document successes

Many people find it helpful to set concrete learning goals and schedule specific learning times; for example, in their own calendar. Documenting and reflecting on learning progress and “aha” moments also helps you and others, whether through blogs on 麻豆原创 Community, a personal learning journal in digital notes, or simply verbally within your team. AI certification like for might also be a more formal way to check and document your skills.

5. Learn from and with others

In peer learning, you learn through barcamps, workshops, discussion rounds, communities, study groups, networking meetups, or promptathons, a type of hackathon where small groups solve challenges from their daily work using AI tools. Along with 麻豆原创, companies like Deutsche Telekom and Continental are already using this format.

Learning through exchange in communities鈥攕uch as the with its many blogs and discussions鈥攊s another format for learning with peers. also offers numerous led by 麻豆原创 experts where you can ask questions.

6. Learn through experience and doing

With such generic technologies as AI, it’s important for everyone to explore for themselves where AI can help them and to try things hands-on. Whether in learning projects where you experiment with and reflect on new AI tools, or in team workshops. For workshops, the with templates can help鈥攊ncluding for , , 麻豆原创 Business AI design, and 麻豆原创 Business AI exploration. Discovery and exploration should happen at the strategic level, but it’s also very helpful at the team level. The practice systems in can also assist with hands-on practice as you see Joule and embedded AI features in many training systems.

7. Regularly review and update your AI skills: How can I keep up to date?

The field of AI is evolving rapidly, so regular learning, updating, and trying out new tools is essential. Podcasts, the resources mentioned in this article, , and the diverse array of can help with this. Or why not build your own news-update agent for your own context?

Summary and outlook

AI learning in the 麻豆原创 ecosystem is a business-critical, continuous task. You only understand AI by applying it and actively engaging with it. Additionally, it’s important to adapt to these new technologies鈥攐r even to completely rethink tasks and processes. Complete a self-assessment, create a learning plan by yourself and with your peers, and book the learning offerings relevant to you today.

Thomas Jenewein is a business development manager at 麻豆原创.

BERLIN 鈥� At 麻豆原创 TechEd in 2025, (NYSE: 麻豆原创) brings AI deep into the development process to level up how developers build.

New AI-driven capabilities in the 麻豆原创 Build solution, an expanding data ecosystem and powerful Joule Agents empower developers to move from idea to impact with unprecedented speed and confidence. As AI transforms the nature of professional work, 麻豆原创 also pledges to equip 12 million people worldwide with AI-ready skills by 2030.

鈥溌槎乖粹�檚 announcements today give developers the tools they need to deliver at the speed of AI,鈥� said Muhammad Alam, member of the Executive Board of 麻豆原创 SE. 鈥淚nnovations across 麻豆原创鈥檚 unique flywheel of applications, data and AI put developers in the driver’s seat — where they belong.鈥�

Opening the Developer Ecosystem

麻豆原创 Build, the company鈥檚 flagship solution for enterprise application development and automation, now gives developers more freedom to build, extend and automate using the tools they love most.

For instance, developers who prefer agentic development solutions like Cursor, Claude Code, Cline and Windsurf can now use 麻豆原创 development frameworks with new 麻豆原创 Build local Model Context Protocol Servers. Visual Studio Code users will be able to access 麻豆原创 Build capabilities directly in their development environment with a new 麻豆原创 Build extension. This extension will also be made available later on Open VSX Registry for other development environments. 麻豆原创 and n8n also announced plans for an integration so Joule Studio agents and n8n agents can work together.

And with new agent building capabilities in Joule Studio, developers have the tools they need to extend 麻豆原创鈥檚 ready-to-use agents and build new agents grounded in 麻豆原创 business data and context that can act autonomously based on changing business conditions.

Putting Data to Work

Every intelligent application starts with trusted data. 麻豆原创 is giving developers more ways to put that data to work through 麻豆原创 Business Data Cloud.

The solution now connects with more of the data and AI platforms developers use every day. A new 麻豆原创 Snowflake solution extension for 麻豆原创 Business Data Cloud brings Snowflake鈥檚 fully managed data and AI capabilities directly to 麻豆原创 customers, giving them the flexibility to choose the right compute and storage for each data and AI workload, while maintaining governance, interoperability and business context. 麻豆原创 also announced a new 麻豆原创 Business Data Cloud Connect partnership with Snowflake. This complements existing integrations with Databricks and Google Cloud, giving developers more freedom to choose how they work with 麻豆原创 data.

With a new data product studio capability in 麻豆原创 Business Data Cloud, developers can turn raw data into ready-to-use assets known as data products that support analytics, AI and application development.

An expanded capability in the 麻豆原创 HANA Cloud knowledge graph engine can automatically generate knowledge graphs. This capability maps relationships across 麻豆原创 database tables, columns and data models, revealing how data fits together and why it matters. Developers will be able to see how their data connects across systems and uncover underlying business insights.

Bringing AI Autonomy to Life

麻豆原创 is evolving its AI portfolio to give developers the intelligence and orchestration power they need to take AI from insight to action.

麻豆原创 introduced its first enterprise relational foundation model, a new class of AI that predicts business outcomes rather than the next word in a sentence. 麻豆原创-RPT-1, or the first-generation Relational Pre-trained Transformer, can make fast and accurate predictions for common business scenarios like delivery delays, payment risk or sales order completion. 麻豆原创 launched a free playground environment for developers today.

New AI assistants in Joule coordinate multiple agents across workflows, departments and applications, bringing automation and autonomy to life. These assistants plan, initiate and complete complex tasks spanning finance, supply chain, HR and beyond. Today, 麻豆原创 introduces new agents built for technical users. For example, an agent for business process analysis will help teams understand how processes run, identify inefficiencies and uncover opportunities to optimize workflows and drive measurable improvements.

Lastly, as AI changes the nature of work for everyone, 麻豆原创 is pledging to equip 12 million people worldwide with AI-ready skills by 2030. 麻豆原创 will expand hands-on training and certification programs that integrate practical AI-ready tools, including through its partnership with online learning platform Coursera.

Visit the . Get 麻豆原创 news via  and .

About 麻豆原创

As a global leader in enterprise applications and business AI, 麻豆原创 (NYSE:麻豆原创) stands at the nexus of business and technology. For over 50 years, organizations have trusted 麻豆原创 to bring out their best by uniting business-critical operations spanning finance, procurement, HR, supply chain, and customer experience. For more information, visit鈥�.

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This document contains forward-looking statements, which are predictions, projections, or other statements about future events. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and outcomes to materially differ. Additional information regarding these risks and uncertainties may be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the risk factors section of 麻豆原创鈥檚 2024 Annual Report on Form 20-F.
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Take this common pattern: a brilliant software engineer gets promoted to team lead, only to find the new role demands completely different skills. Technical expertise doesn鈥檛 always translate into leadership success. Managing people requires mentoring, conflict resolution, and strategic decision-making鈥攕kills that aren鈥檛 always developed in technical roles.

When companies push top performers into management without proper support or alternatives, they risk losing great individual performers, like engineers or developers, and gaining ineffective managers. As a result, some employees may feel disconnected from the work they love, and stepping back can feel like failure rather than a strategic career choice.

This default move to management can often be a symptom of an organization鈥檚 professional learning gaps, where high-performing individual contributors can plateau because structured learning paths for deepening expertise are missing. Plus, it can often be a moment where professional learning is missing and newly minted managers aren鈥檛 provided with the proper management training, which sets both individuals and teams up for struggle. Professional learning plays a critical role in this juncture of individuals鈥� careers, and being able to provide the appropriate learning in this moment is crucial.

The case for dual career paths

Not everyone is cut out for鈥攐r interested in鈥攎anagement. A found that 36% of tech workers have no interest in taking on managerial responsibilities. Some professionals thrive as individual contributors, while others excel as people managers, technical leads, or mentors. Recognizing this, forward-thinking companies offer a genuine choice: pursue a management career or deepen expertise as a specialist. This dual-ladder system allows growth that aligns with their strengths, interests, and motivation.

Retaining talent by valuing expertise

Providing both management and expert career paths does more than boost job satisfaction; it helps retain top talent. When employees see a future that matches their interests, they are more likely to stay, contribute at a higher level, and innovate. It also fosters a culture of continuous learning, where growth isn鈥檛 reserved for those who manage others.

Organizations don鈥檛 just need boardroom executives or 鈥渕anagers of managers鈥�; they need top performers at every level. That means intentionally creating and rewarding non鈥憁anagerial opportunities鈥攚ith clear progression, pay parity, and visibility.

Supporting employees in finding their path

Effective support for career choice goes beyond general promises of opportunity and structures on paper. Organizations need a clear distinction between management and expert tracks, defined criteria for progression, protected time for learning, and leaders equipped to coach learning and development across both tracks. It also calls for clarity on which competencies are evolving in both leadership and expert roles, ensuring development targets skills, not titles.

Turning that clarity into impact requires a learning infrastructure: curated curricula, mentoring, communities of practice, and visible milestones that normalize expert development. In the 麻豆原创 context, and skill-validation programs provide organized resources that can support building and maintaining skills over time, enabling development at different depths and paces, independent of title changes. serve as neutral milestones that can validate skills, increase transparency, and make expert progression comparable to managerial advancement.

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Redefining success at work

Ultimately, career growth doesn鈥檛 have to mean management. By embracing dual career paths鈥攁nd by investing in learning infrastructure and credible certification for both paths鈥攐rganizations can unlock the full potential of their workforce. The companies that will thrive are those that make every path a route to meaningful impact, recognizing that value comes from contribution and capability, not just position.

Diana R枚sner is head of Certification Transformation at 麻豆原创.

The divide between the digital skills young people possess and the needs of employers is a big challenge and contributes to a high youth unemployment rate, particularly in the Global South. The 麻豆原创 Educate to Employ initiative is set up as a digital pathway through Youth Agency Marketplace (YOMA), a public-private-youth ecosystem from UNICEF鈥檚 Generation Unlimited. The program aims to address this challenge and enable young people鈥檚 skills for a digital economy.

Nearly 90 percent of the 1.8 billion young people between the ages of 10 and 24 in the world today, are in low-and middle-income countries. An estimated 22 percent do not have jobs and are not in education or training.

Globally, young people are three times more likely to be unemployed than adults. Edmond Shange is one of the many young people who have faced difficulties navigating the employment market right out of high school. 鈥淚n South Africa there’s not a lot of opportunities when it comes to the employment sector,鈥� the 27-year-old shared.

Making copies of a CV or resume and going to a potential employer to drop them off costs money, something in very short supply among South Africa鈥檚 unemployed youth. Despite this, Shange says that as many as 300 young people often queue up to drop off their CVs at a potential employer. 鈥淚 faced a lot of challenges trying to apply for jobs,鈥� he said. “It’s very tough for young people like me.鈥�

Shange is not alone. 鈥淚n Africa over 70 percent of the population are young people and another 4 million join the job market every single year competing for less than half a million new jobs,鈥� said Nadi Albino, deputy director at UNICEF鈥檚 Generation Unlimited.

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Youth unemployment and the lack of digital skills are a global problem, though it’s particularly acute among those who live in the Global South. While the fast-changing global economy demands increasingly specialized expertise, many young people are not learning the skills they need to get these jobs.  

The search for virtual upskilling to improve his digital skills led Shange to the Youth Agency Marketplace (YOMA), a public-private-youth ecosystem supported by UNICEF鈥檚 Generational Unlimited, which offers opportunities for young people to learn, earn, and create impact. On his pathway to employment, Shange was introduced to 麻豆原创 Educate to Employ, an initiative delivered to YOMA through the implementing partner Umuzi. The curriculum for 麻豆原创 Educate to Employ involves 700 hours of targeted training focused on building soft skills and technical expertise.

After completing the course, Shange feels much more confident with his skills. As a result, he has recently secured an internship as a software developer at a startup gaming company based at Wits University Tshimologong Precinct.

Whether young people are educated, trained, or employed has significant implications for their overall well-being and ability to promote future economic growth, development, and sociopolitical stability. Unfortunately, most traditional education systems do not address the emerging youth digital skills gap.

This realization was one of the driving forces behind the creation of 麻豆原创 Educate to Employ.

鈥溌槎乖� Educate to Employ was created to support young people who are neither in education nor employment, providing them with training, certification, and guidance to access roles within the 麻豆原创 ecosystem,鈥� explained Eugene Ho who leads 麻豆原创鈥檚 global CSR flagship skilling programs targeted at youths in need. 鈥淭hrough its tailored curriculum, the initiative has successfully helped candidates with only high-school qualifications.鈥�

鈥淭he 麻豆原创 Educate to Employ initiative provides young people with the tools, skills, and resources that they need to get employed or to employ,鈥� Albino added in an interview with 麻豆原创. 鈥淲e have to go back to making sure that these education systems work and that they work in tandem with where the world is going.鈥�

To meet industry needs, 麻豆原创 Educate to Employ curricula has been designed for three critical roles within the 麻豆原创 ecosystem: consultant associate, developer associate, and support associate. The curriculum taps into educational content from industry-leading organizations such as Coursera, Accenture, EY, and 麻豆原创 Learning.  

麻豆原创 CEO Christian Klein is the chair of the Generation Unlimited Board.  

鈥淭he YOMA online platform alone has had over 600,000 registrations,” Albino confirmed. “A measure of success is how the ecosystem has enabled over 5 million opportunities to learn, earn, and create impact worldwide in the past two years. We are now beginning to see young people getting into jobs.鈥�

Shange鈥檚 journey with YOMA and 麻豆原创 Educate to Employ started in the living room of his grandmother’s house, a place where community has always taken center stage. 鈥淚 look up to my grandmother; she has done a lot for the community,” he said. “I hope that I could do the same — help people in the tech field create more jobs for people that are in need and just be creative.鈥�

A permanent full-time job would enable Shange to feed and look after his family, and to continue helping others in his community the same way he was helped. In his community, Shange says he is seen as something of a role model.

鈥淚 want young people to know that it’s possible [to get a job],” he said. “Keep applying and also don’t lose hope when you see something’s not working. Some things do take time, so give it your best and make sure that you see it through.鈥�

Today, 麻豆原创 extended its founding partnership with Generation Unlimited for four more years, 2026-2029, with a commitment of US$2 million.

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The divide between the digital skills young people possess and the needs of employers is a big challenge and contributes to a high youth unemployment rate, particularly in the Global South.

The 麻豆原创 Educate to Employ initiative, set up as a digital pathway through Youth Agency Marketplace (YOMA), a public-private-youth ecosystem from UNICEF鈥檚 Generation Unlimited, aims to address this challenge and enable young people to gain skills for a digital economy.

For more than 20 years, the HANA Campus has been home to PhD students applying research to 麻豆原创 HANA and, more recently, other .

As demands on technologies change — the first customers for 麻豆原创 HANA went live in 2010, seven years after the HANA Campus welcomed its first PhD student — so has its name.

鈥淲hat name should I give it?鈥� muses Schwarz, explaining how prevailing technologies and circumstances have forced name changes over the years, including 鈥淭he Campus,鈥� 鈥淭he Research Campus,鈥� 鈥淭he HANA Research Campus,鈥� 鈥淭he Student Campus,鈥� or even 鈥淭he HANA Database and Analytics Campus.鈥�

But while its name may change, its mission remains the same: to help satisfy the demand for high-tech research, primarily for 麻豆原创 HANA but also for 麻豆原创 Analytics Cloud, 麻豆原创 Business Data Cloud (麻豆原创 BDC), Global Cloud Infrastructure Services, and 麻豆原创 Business Technology Platform (麻豆原创 BTP).

What makes the HANA Campus unique?

To date, the HANA Campus has been home to more than 40 PhD students, mostly matriculated at universities in Germany, who have successfully defended their dissertations grounded in research at 麻豆原创. Or, to put it another way, PhD students have collectively contributed decades of applied research focused primarily on 麻豆原创 HANA.

Bringing academic innovation into the product comes in different flavors at 麻豆原创. On the one hand, PhD students can be recruited directly to 麻豆原创 and tasked with researching a predefined topic. On the other, 麻豆原创 funds university chairs, such as the recent , and research projects with academia.

PhD students arrive at the HANA Campus via 麻豆原创-funded research projects with academia. The campus is unique, according to Schwarz, due to 鈥渢he sheer mass of research projects executed over the years and the fact that the dedicated space in Walldorf acts as a safe haven for PhD students.鈥�

Students assigned to the HANA Campus work on-site at 麻豆原创, get a feel for life at the company, and have direct access to development teams and test environments. The contract for the research projects with academia also frees PhD students from university teaching obligations. It is also important to note that PhD students do not belong to a specific development team, avoiding the risk of their research being deprioritized in the face of operational pressures. At the HANA Campus, PhD students can focus all their efforts on their research and studies.

It all began with a knowledge gap

Bringing academic expertise in-house for HANA started back in 2003, Schwarz explains, in the era of TREX, a search engine in 麻豆原创 NetWeaver. TREX was the forerunner of 麻豆原创 Business Warehouse Accelerator, which ultimately led to the 麻豆原创 HANA database. Engineering teams were under intense pressure to quickly build and deliver the emerging technology of in-memory database.

However, Schwarz explains, a knowledge gap was threatening to slow everything down: there were only two or three engineers who had the knowledge to drive the technology forward, but they didn鈥檛 have the bandwidth to do so. With an ever-increasing number of teams requiring specialist knowledge, the threat of a slowdown in development was becoming more real by the day.

As luck would have it, Wolfgang Lehner, professor at the Technical University (TU) Dresden, was also researching the same technology. A mutually beneficial partnership was born: 麻豆原创 offered a cutting-edge research opportunity for students, and Professor Lehner鈥檚 students could bridge the knowledge gap with academic expertise. The potential obstacle was overcome, and research projects with academia and PhD students continue to augment the technological knowledge and expertise that powers 麻豆原创 HANA and other 麻豆原创 technologies to this day.听

Since that first research project with TU Dresden, the HANA Campus has collaborated with many more universities. 鈥淐ollaborations with the universities are always limited to the timeframe set out in the original research contract,” Schwarz says, clarifying that the driver for selecting a university is the fit of current research topics to 麻豆原创鈥檚 technological requirements and not past collaborations.

Talent pipeline and 鈥渁 foothold in academia鈥�

The HANA Campus is a 鈥渨in-win” for both 麻豆原创鈥檚 talent pipeline and PhD students.

Many students choose to stay at 麻豆原创 once they have defended their thesis and been awarded their PhD. The teams know the value of their PhD research and the PhD graduates know what life is like at 麻豆原创.

Even those PhD graduates who do not stay at 麻豆原创 remain, for the most part, in data management and analytics development; they either join other companies or take a postdoc position. Their ties to the company 鈥済ive 麻豆原创 a foothold in academia as well as advocates and a more direct route to research projects,鈥� Schwarz confirms.

Through Schwarz, the HANA Campus also supports 麻豆原创鈥檚 participation at academic conferences, another tool to strengthen academic connections, PhD student recruiting, and 麻豆原创鈥檚 technological reputation. In June of this year, HANA Campus provided a venue for a workshop at the . Sponsoring and participating in these conferences, Schwarz says, 鈥渋s pivotal to getting access to the inner circle of academia, strengthens 麻豆原创 academic connections and reputation, and allows 麻豆原创 to share and augment research findings with other experts from academia.鈥�

Find out more

Twenty-two years in and 40 dissertations later, 麻豆原创’s HANA Campus continues to be home to the next generation, welcoming two more PhD students later this year to deepen research around 麻豆原创 HANA as well as 麻豆原创 BTP and 麻豆原创 BDC.

A vast collection of publicly available scientific publications about 麻豆原创 HANA Database and Analytics, dating from 2006 to the present day, .

However, its potential goes far beyond simple optimization: generative AI can be a trusted ally for personal growth and confidence building, especially when navigating unfamiliar professional territory.

Whether you鈥檙e assuming a new leadership role, mastering a complex technical skill, or simply feeling uncertain about your next career step, AI platforms can truly help you gain clarity and confidence.

Here are three straightforward ways to use AI as a growth tool when venturing beyond your career comfort zone.

1. AI as a judgment-free partner

One valuable yet often underappreciated role of generative AI is its ability to serve as a non-judgmental sounding board. Transitioning to a new role or company often brings uncertainty, questions, and sometimes self-doubt. Regardless of the change, AI offers a non-judgmental space where users can openly share thoughts and explore solutions. This use of AI can help individuals better understand their uncertainties and organize their experiences in a positive, constructive way — laying the groundwork for confident problem-solving and, ultimately, success through a transition or challenge.

2. Breaking down big hurdles into bite-size goals

Facing broad, complex objectives can feel overwhelming. Generative AI can aid career growth by breaking down daunting challenges into smaller, manageable milestones. By asking AI to convert broad objectives into 鈥渂ite-size鈥� tasks, professionals gain a clear road map to achieve their goals. This approach reduces cognitive overload and encourages momentum through steady progress. Whether leading a new team or mastering advanced analytics, these small wins build confidence and reinforce a proactive mindset.

3. Expert-curated learning tailored to your needs

Finally, generative AI can customize and deliver high-quality learning resources that address your unique knowledge gaps and career context. For instance, AI can recommend expert insights and training modules that align with your individualized development path via the 麻豆原创 Learning site, which provides access a broad portfolio of self-paced and premium learning opportunities to achieve business transformation and grow your career with free, self-paced, and on-demand 麻豆原创 learning resources to both . From exploring agile frameworks as a project manager to deepening cybersecurity expertise as an IT professional, AI acts as a personalized guide to expert-level content designed to meet your specific needs.

To further support scalable and targeted learning, the 麻豆原创 Learning site provides learners access to both self-paced and guided learning resources, allowing them to follow learning journeys tailored for specific roles and skill levels in a self-paced way. This adaptive approach enhances engagement and retention, helping users not only acquire new skills, but effectively apply them in their roles. Seamlessly embedded into everyday workflows, these online courses empower employees to engage in continuous development without interrupting their daily responsibilities — strengthening both their individual growth and overall organizational capability.

Whether managing cross-functional projects, mastering data analysis, or navigating career pivots, AI-enhanced learning experiences provide dynamic support that transforms uncertainty into clarity and fosters sustained growth.

Leveraging generative AI has become essential for confident, forward-thinking career advancement as new skills and roles emerge rapidly. Integrating AI into personal development helps professionals transition into new roles with greater assurance and agility.

More than a productivity tool, AI serves as a growth partner — listening without judgment, breaking down complex challenges into clear steps, and offering tailored learning paths. By embracing AI as a trusted resource, individuals and organizations can nurture a culture of continuous learning and navigate change and growth opportunities with confidence.

Andre Bechtold is president of Industries & Experiences at 麻豆原创.

This latest course will enable attendees to facilitate a new Joule Agent Discovery Workshop, guide workshop participants to identify appropriate use cases, and tailor the workshop format to the needs of different audiences.

But what are 麻豆原创 solutions for agentic AI? What do they stand for?

Joule Agents are AI systems that autonomously plan and execute multi-step workflows, collaborating to connect departments, speed up decisions, and streamline processes.

Discovering high-value opportunities for agentic AI

In the format of an 麻豆原创 Expert Lecture, this course introduces participants to the Joule Agent Discovery Workshop, a structured and collaborative method to identify high-value agentic use cases in an organization. Attendees will learn how to inspire and guide participants, prioritize ideas, and describe the selected opportunities in detail. The course also covers how to adapt the workshop to different timeframes, team sizes, and virtual settings. By the end, attendees will be able to guide participants in identifying where AI agents can make the biggest impact and lay the groundwork for their agentic journey.

In detail, learners will be able to: 

• Understand the purpose and structure of the Joule Agent Discovery Workshop and how it can be used to identify high-value agentic use cases
• Facilitate the workshop exercises, guiding participants from idea generation to prioritization and a detailed description of agentic use cases
• Adapt the workshop format to different team sizes, virtual environments, and timeframes to fit organizational needs

There are no prerequisites for this course, but experience with 麻豆原创 Design Thinking and workshop facilitation will be helpful. It is a good learning opportunity for a variety of roles such as support consultant, business user, and 麻豆原创 rookie.

The creative mind behind 麻豆原创 AppHaus methods and this learning journey

For many years now, Karen Detken, an expert user experience designer at the 麻豆原创 AppHaus, has worked in customer co-innovation projects and has gotten firsthand experiences and feedback when developing and hosting a variety of workshop formats with different methods and tools. Early on, the team decided to share these best practices and their tools and templates in the openly accessible .

When the topic of artificial intelligence arose and 麻豆原创 solutions started to include generative AI and large language models (LLMs) in their solutions, such as 麻豆原创 Business AI, followed by the latest step up with agentic AI, such as Joule Agents, the 麻豆原创 AppHaus team worked with customers on exploring appropriate business use cases to benefit from this very latest in technology. Based on these first experiences, the team started sharing helpful methods, as a co-innovation frontrunner, so that other teams, partners, and customers could drive their own exploration projects involving latest technologies.

For Detken, it is not only about enabling in and applying those technologies: 鈥淣ew technologies are developing very fast and are becoming widely accessible,” she said. “What is important is that we have a very clear picture of why we want to use the technologies. Because technology only has a value when you find the right purpose to use it. Customers and users need to be clear about the outcomes they want to have with that technology. This is the first thing you need to answer before using it. With the methods we provide, we intend to help people first understand what this technology can do for them, for the business, for the people.鈥�

This awareness and very conscious use of technology also includes the consideration of responsible and ethical guidelines that every new solution needs to follow (see 麻豆原创鈥檚 principles laid out in the ).

Bringing innovation and technology into the hands of people

The 麻豆原创 AppHaus team gets feedback from many different customer and partner teams. For the team of experienced co-innovation coaches, it is fulfilling to see workshop participants, along with attendees of enablement sessions, understand the new technology better. From this deeper understanding they help participants — along their — start generating ideas related to their business needs. They help them, as Detken puts it, 鈥渢hink of different ways how they can use AI to solve real problems.”

The latest 麻豆原创 Learning Journey for agentic AI is a compilation of helpful exercises to help customers and partners explore and approach this field of technology while discovering meaningful business use cases. In parallel and probably not that obvious at first sight, this new course testifies the openness of the team for novel applications such as using an avatar as speaker. It was built based on video recordings with Detken.

When asked about her view on agentic AI in contrast to generative AI, Detken describes it as follows: 鈥淕enerative AI uses an LLM as a kind of intelligent system or ‘brain.’ The same LLMs are used by an AI agent. The difference is that the agent can not only ‘think’ and use these large language models to generate content or analyze data and make decisions, but it also uses ‘tools’ or other applications to act upon these decisions or make changes autonomously. To put it as an example: with Gen AI, we only had the brain and now it’s the next step, we have the brain and the hands. Maybe in the future, we will have the entire body as well, which would probably be the robots.鈥�

Imke Vierjahn is the communications lead for 麻豆原创 AppHaus.

Images courtesy of 麻豆原创 employee Viktor Georg

The rise of AI is an opportunity not just to speed up learning, but to drive lasting organizational efficiency. A found that 44 percent of employees already use AI-based learning, and 81 percent of HR leaders are integrating or planning to implement such technologies. This underscores the widespread adoption of AI in corporate learning, but it also raises a vital question: How can organizations ensure that the speed of learning does not come at the expense of depth and sustainability?

Time to competency matters

In corporate learning, time to competency is a central concept. It refers to the time it takes for employees to acquire the skills, knowledge, and confidence to perform their job effectively and independently. It is a critical metric, as shortening time to competency can boost productivity, reduce training costs, and provide a competitive edge. However, accelerated learning may prove counterproductive if the acquired knowledge is superficial or unsustainable.

AI is reshaping the learning experience

Whereas the human ability to learn has developed over millennia, AI capabilities have been developing in leaps and bounds over just a few years. When properly aligned with the best practices in how we learn, AI can transform the learning experience through three key dimensions: personalization, practice, and measurement. Consider, for instance, how field enablement for new sales employees demonstrates these dimensions in practice.

Personalized learning journeys drive engagement

First, AI-powered personalization drives higher engagement. Generative AI tools can help learners explore complex topics based on individual knowledge gaps. In the case of sales professionals, AI can analyze performance patterns and knowledge levels to create customized learning paths that focus precisely on the skills each individual needs to develop 鈥� whether product knowledge, negotiation techniques, or objection handling. This personalized approach leads to significantly greater knowledge retention and application as learning experiences become directly relevant to the role.

Accelerating skill development through simulated practice

Second, practice-based learning accelerates onboarding and skill acquisition. For example, sales professionals can use AI-powered simulators to practice customer conversations with virtual buyers who respond naturally to different pitches and approaches, while receiving instant feedback on their communication style, value proposition clarity, and response to objections. These simulated interactions build confidence before real customer engagements, drastically shortening ramp-up time.

Measuring and sustaining competency

Third, measurement ensures the knowledge truly sticks. Sustainable learning requires more than speed. It must embed deep understanding and long-term applicability. AI learning platforms track not just completion, but actual competency development through ongoing assessments. Repetitive, on-the-job training and immersive experiences can help reinforce knowledge. For instance, sales teams can utilize AI tools that analyze real customer interactions post-training, measuring how effectively new techniques are being applied and providing ongoing microlearning refreshers precisely when skills begin to fade 鈥� ensuring the investment in sales training delivers lasting performance improvement.

From skill gaps to strategic learning

Yet, even with these tools, learning and development professionals face challenges. The Cegos study reports that nearly half of HR professionals have difficulties adapting their training offerings quickly enough to meet actual needs. Employees, meanwhile, often feel their training needs are addressed too late. AI can close this gap by using learning analytics to identify skill gaps early and deliver timely interventions.

The real opportunity lies in balancing fast-track learning with long-term capability building. Companies must not only measure how fast employees reach competency, but also ensure the competency is durable. Key strategies include microlearning, adaptive content, mentorship, and integration of practical phases 鈥� all aimed at anchoring knowledge deeply while reducing unnecessary delays.

Ensuring lasting impact

To truly accelerate time to competency while ensuring deep, lasting understanding, companies need structured, scalable learning solutions. One such solution is , which offers broad access to expert-led resources to both . Structured learning journeys support individualized pacing and continuous development, allowing employees to engage in professional growth without disrupting their daily responsibilities. By integrating 麻豆原创 learning into everyday workflows, organizations can foster sustainable learning habits and equip employees with the skills needed for long-term performance.

In short, AI won’t replace human learning; it will enhance it, but only if we apply it with purpose. As leaders, we must measure success not just in speed, but in sustained capability.

Markus Marsch is global head of Product and Solution Learning for 麻豆原创 Industries & Experiences.

That鈥檚 why we鈥檙e launching the Global Career Discovery Initiative, a new global partnership between 麻豆原创 and JA Worldwide that will reach tens of thousands of young people aged 17 to 24 in more than 30 countries. 

鈥淵oung people are entering a world of work that鈥檚 being reshaped by technology, automation, and artificial intelligence,鈥� says Asheesh Advani, CEO of JA Worldwide. 鈥淭his partnership ensures that youth鈥攅specially those from underserved communities鈥攄on鈥檛 just learn about the future of work but learn how to shape it.鈥�

From local impact to global scale 

Over the past 20 years, 麻豆原创 has partnered with JA through dozens of local and regional programs, from workshops in Colombia to mentoring sessions in Vietnam. These efforts have created a meaningful impact, but we recognized the opportunity to amplify our work by aligning globally. This unified partnership enables us to scale what works, streamline volunteer engagement, and ensure more consistent access to high-quality learning experiences for young people everywhere. 

JA Worldwide already delivers more than 19 million student learning experiences annually in entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial health, powered by a network of over 700,000 teachers and business volunteers. This scale and experience make JA an ideal partner to help build a brighter future for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders. 

Together, we鈥檙e combining JA鈥檚 proven curriculum with 麻豆原创鈥檚 global network of employee volunteers to create a structured, scalable experience that helps young people build in-demand skills, discover career pathways, and connect directly with mentors and role models. In its first year, the initiative aims to reach more than 85,000 students across six continents, engaging 800 麻豆原创 volunteers of all ages as mentors and role models. 

Why this matters now 

The world of work is evolving faster than many education systems can adapt. We believe the future belongs to young people who combine essential human skills鈥攍ike creativity, resilience, and collaboration鈥攚ith digital confidence. JA鈥檚 curriculum delivers exactly that, and through this global initiative 麻豆原创 is proud to help bring these vital skills to youth at scale. 

For many of us at 麻豆原创, this work is deeply personal. Like countless colleagues, we know from experience how early exposure to mentors and practical skills can change a life. 

鈥淚 joined JA as a student 25 years ago. Those early experiences shaped my journey. They equipped me with the tools and skills I needed to grow in the business world and helped me believe, at a very young age, that with knowledge, grit, and humility, anything was possible,鈥� says Sam Masri, global chief sales officer, 麻豆原创. 鈥淚鈥檓 incredibly proud that 麻豆原创 will now bring that same opportunity to thousands of youth around the world!鈥�

Building future skills, together 

Our collaboration goes beyond volunteering; it鈥檚 a long-term alignment focused on skills development, equity, and innovation. We鈥檙e committed to creating a more inclusive, opportunity-rich future for all young people, regardless of geography or background. We鈥檙e proud to be part of this effort and excited about the impact ahead. 

The Global Career Discovery Initiative is one way we鈥檙e putting into action. Around the world, millions of young people are not in education, employment, or training, while employers struggle to find skilled talent. We believe building future skills is essential to empower the next generation and ensure a fair, sustainable transition from education to employment or entrepreneurship.听

To do this, we focus on three areas: 

• Ecosystem development: Building partnerships to align skills with job market needs and open career pathways听
• Education: Supporting innovative programs that equip youth with relevant skills for the digital and green economies and spark youth entrepreneurship
• Employee engagement: Empowering our people to share their knowledge and time through mentoring, coaching, and pro bono consulting

CSR can鈥檛 be a tick-box exercise. It must be a strategic approach that tackles social and environmental challenges and creates shared value for businesses and communities alike. Our purpose at 麻豆原创鈥攖o help the world run better and improve people鈥檚 lives鈥攊s brought to life every day through our products, services, and the dedication of our people.听

This partnership with JA builds on two decades of collaboration, from workshops in Colombia to classrooms in Vietnam. Now, we鈥檙e aligning and scaling that local impact globally, so that more young people, especially those from underserved communities, can see what鈥檚 possible and have the support they need to shape the future of work. 

Hemang Desai is interim global head of Corporate Social Responsibility at 麻豆原创.

This is where can step in. Designed as an easy-to-consume training, Support Accreditation helps equip you with the knowledge and confidence to make full use of 麻豆原创鈥檚 powerful support ecosystem. And the best part? It鈥檚 available to all customers and partners at no additional cost.

What is Support Accreditation?

At its core, is a self-paced online course that helps demystify the tools, services, and methodologies within 麻豆原创’s support landscape. With five digestible modules, interactive quizzes, how-to videos, and one-page summaries, it can deliver clarity in a space that often feels complex and fragmented.

Upon completion, learners earn a digital Support Accreditation badge鈥攁 mark of proficiency and confidence that can be showcased on social media or used to enhance your professional profile.

“Understanding 麻豆原创鈥檚 support landscape shouldn鈥檛 be a mystery. Support Accreditation gives you the clarity and confidence to lead with impact,” said Anja Schneider, SVP and global head of Premium Engagement & Advisory, 麻豆原创.

Recent updates that make it even better

麻豆原创 continuously evolves the accreditation to reflect the dynamic nature of cloud support. Recent updates include:

• A new AI-guided support module covers how 麻豆原创 leverages large-language models and AI to help drive predictive, real-time support. You鈥檒l learn how tools like Incident Solution Matching and AI-based recommendations can improve response times and accuracy.
• An enhanced focus on 24/7 support structures teaches you how to engage with 麻豆原创鈥檚 global support organization across different channels and time zones.
• The expanded coverage of 麻豆原创 Cloud ALM showcases how to manage implementation and operations more effectively using a cloud-native, out-of-the-box solution.
• In-depth guidance on 麻豆原创 for Me details how 麻豆原创’s personalized digital companion can provide transparency and control across all touchpoints鈥攆rom licenses to lifecycle management and support interactions.

Whether you鈥檙e scheduling an expert, chatting in real-time with 麻豆原创 support engineers, or using 麻豆原创 for Me to get a consolidated view of your landscape, Support Accreditation helps ensure you know how to make the most of these resources.

鈥淪upport is more than solving issues. It鈥檚 about enabling outcomes. This accreditation empowers you to do just that,鈥� said Augusta Spinelli, EVP and听global head of Adoption Services Center, 麻豆原创.

Why it matters for customers and partners

Let鈥檚 face it鈥攅ven the best digital tools fall short without the right enablement. Many organizations aren鈥檛 fully aware of all the support resources available to them, leading to longer resolution times, missed opportunities, and frustration.

Support Accreditation helps bridge that gap. Customers can learn how to accelerate resolution times, engage effectively with support teams, and use self-service tools to reduce case volumes. Partners can gain a competitive edge by delivering projects and managed services aligned with 麻豆原创 best practices.

“The future of support is proactive, intelligent, and business-driven. This accreditation empowers you to lead that future,鈥� said Stefan Steinle, EVP, global head of Customer Support & Cloud Lifecycle Management.

Over 5,000 success stories and counting

Each year, more than 5,000 customers and partners complete the Support Accreditation course. The average course rating? A near-perfect 4.75 out of 5. It鈥檚 not just useful; it鈥檚 loved. And because the course is updated regularly, 麻豆原创 recommends refreshing your badge once a year to stay aligned with the latest tools and best practices.

Whether you’re new to 麻豆原创 or a seasoned consultant, there鈥檚 never been a better time to invest a couple of hours in a course that will pay dividends across every support interaction you have.

Ready to take the next step?

Join the thousands already leading with confidence.

Oliver Huschke is VP of External Engagements, Customer Support, and Cloud Lifecycle Management at 麻豆原创.

The launch of the initiative aims to accelerate the innovation process to help bring the latest 麻豆原创 technologies into the hands of 麻豆原创 customers.

An initiative to upskill partners in the latest innovation methods

The 麻豆原创 AppHaus Alliances initiative helps ensure method maturity of 麻豆原创 partners, upskilling them with the innovation tools and resources they need to conduct workshops on the latest technologies such as 麻豆原创 Business AI and agentic AI. Currently, the qualification process is exclusively available to partners enrolled in the NEXTLEVEL 麻豆原创 BTP & AI program. Upskilling partners allows more 麻豆原创 customers to benefit faster from the latest innovation tools and methodologies made available in the .

鈥淚n close collaboration with Partner Ecosystem Success, we launched the 麻豆原创 AppHaus Alliances initiative because we want to bring the power of 麻豆原创鈥檚 latest technologies, such as 麻豆原创 Business AI, into the hands of more customers鈥攆aster and with real business impact,鈥� Kathrin Tarnai-Sindl, head of 麻豆原创 AppHaus, said. 鈥淭o do this, we train global 麻豆原创 partners in the 麻豆原创 AppHaus business AI methodology and equip them with curated workshop modules from our innovation toolkit. We are proud to support this important initiative with our proven methodologies and customer co-innovation experience.鈥�

Who joined already?

Since its inception in April 2025, the following partners have already gained the qualification in 麻豆原创 Business AI methods and tools provided by 麻豆原创 AppHaus, with more partners joining regularly:

• Delaware
• Deloitte
• DXC Technology
• EY
• HCL Tech
• IBM
• KPMG
• NTT Data

Looking back and forward

The enablement activities stretch from virtual 麻豆原创 Business AI inspiration sessions to onsite trainings, for employees and trainers, in different workshop methodologies. Currently, there have been more than 700 attendees, many of them consultants, and 100 AI-related use cases, of which 37 were identified and selected as part of the NEXTLEVEL program. Also, more than 10 have been released in the site to be found as so-called accelerator packages.

The different enablement formats are:

• 90-minute virtual enablement sessions on the latest workshop formats available in the 麻豆原创 AppHaus innovation toolkit
• 60-minute virtual business AI Inspiration sessions to introduce and showcase available 麻豆原创 AI technology
• Train-the-trainer sessions on 麻豆原创 Business AI explore and design workshops
• Train-the-trainer sessions on 麻豆原创 Business AI agent discover and design workshops

What started as a small pilot hosting road shows to partners within the NEXTLEVEL 麻豆原创 BTP & AI program has evolved into a global initiative that was joined by 麻豆原创 AppHaus in 2024. Enrolled partners can benefit from the proven co-innovation methodology and focus on use cases with high business value. They can learn how business solutions can be taken to the next level through the latest 麻豆原创 technologies infused with artificial intelligence.

鈥淭he newly-launched 麻豆原创 AppHaus Alliances initiative exemplifies our commitment to advancing skill development and co-innovation within our ecosystem,鈥� Karl Fahrbach, chief partner officer, 麻豆原创, said. 鈥淭hrough strategic collaboration and rigorous training, we are enabling our partners to master and apply the latest 麻豆原创 methodologies and technologies, such as 麻豆原创 Business AI. As a result, 麻豆原创 customers can unlock the full potential of our solutions and drive unparalleled business impact.鈥�

Imke Vierjahn is communications lead for 麻豆原创 AppHaus.

The decision to further strengthen this long-standing partnership was unveiled during a guest lecture at QUT鈥檚 Gardens Point campus, where Julian Lebherz, 麻豆原创 Strategic Advisor, addressed Master’s students enrolled in the QUT Business Process Analytics course. The lecture emphasized the importance of integrating business transformation into standard operations, highlighting real-world applications as well as why some companies are more successful than others at realizing tangible and sustainable value when it comes to deploying business process intelligence solutions.

A key highlight of this collaboration is the nomination of Lebherz as QUT Industry Fellow, underscoring the ambition and momentum of the connection between 麻豆原创 and QUT. With over a decade of highly specialized experience deploying process intelligence solutions and establishing associated delivery organizations in various industries, he is globally recognized as one of the leading experts in the field. Having served in the steering committee of the IEEE Task Force on Process Mining and co-organizing several international conferences on the subject, Lebherz will contribute significantly to the university鈥檚 academic and research endeavors, fostering a deeper integration of industry insights into the curriculum.

“麻豆原创 is committed to equipping QUT and its students with the expertise and technology required to turn business disruption into competitive advantage,” Lebherz said. “Business transformation must become a ubiquitous capability, and hence we [麻豆原创] are doubling down by strengthening partnerships with leading organizations.”

The partnership aims to explore various avenues for collaboration, including internship and research project opportunities, executive education programs, and hackathons. These initiatives are designed to provide students and researchers with hands-on experience and exposure to real-world challenges, aligning academic pursuits with industry needs.

Professor Alistair Barros, head of the School for Information Systems at QUT, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “QUT鈥檚 School of Information Systems is intensifying both research and education of holistic business transformation and enterprise computing, encompassing the continuous flywheel of process execution, intelligence, improvement, and change deployment.”

Professor Moe Thandar Wynn, leader of QUT鈥檚 process science group and co-director of QUT鈥檚 Centre for Data Science, highlighted the benefits of strong industry ties, noting, “Our researchers and students benefit tremendously from strong industry collaboration. Partnerships like this one enable us to align curricula and research projects closely with real industry needs.”

The announcement marks a significant step forward in QUT鈥檚 position as a global leader in business process management and process intelligence. By integrating end-to-end business transformation into the academic curriculum across multiple courses, as well as deepening the connection to real-world outcomes, QUT and 麻豆原创 are set to redefine the landscape of business transformation education, preparing students to thrive in an era of constant disruption.

Lucas de Boer, Global Marketing Program Lead, 麻豆原创 Signavio

Academic institutions are at the forefront of addressing this challenge, tasked with equipping students with the competencies required in a digital-first economy. Recognizing this imperative, 麻豆原创 University Alliances and HEC Montr茅al have collaborated to develop , an innovative, gamified learning platform designed to help enhance students’ analytical and decision-making skills using 麻豆原创 Analytics Cloud.

Introducing Business Builders: A gamified approach to make students future-ready

Business Builders is designed to help students develop these high-demand skills in a practical and engaging way. Through real-life business challenges powered by 麻豆原创 Analytics Cloud, students can learn how to visualize data, draw actionable insights, and make evidence-based decisions in real time.

Used by educators in over 70 countries, Business Builders is free for educators and students. It is designed to be accessible to any classroom鈥攚hether in business, STEM, or interdisciplinary courses.

By blending gameplay with professional tools, Business Builders helps address several key pain points in education:

• It can make data and analytics more tangible and relevant.
• It helps foster analytical thinking, data storytelling, and digital literacy.
• It can align directly with the needs of the future workforce.

Whether students aspire to careers in consulting, supply chain, product management, marketing, sustainability, or HR, Business Builders can provide an environment to explore these topics while gaining in-demand skills.

Two new scenarios for a broader audience

Building on the success of three existing scenarios, 麻豆原创 and HEC Montr茅al are now launching two brand-new games designed to support even earlier-stage learners: The Agent and The Maple Heir. These scenarios help make Business Builders more inclusive, scalable, and suitable for students age 15 and older and first-year university students. Importantly, no prior experience with 麻豆原创 tools is required, making it easy for educators and students to get started.

The Agent is an easy-to-use sports management scenario that can empower students to become decision-makers as they take on the role of a sports agent. Through real-world sports challenges, students can develop basic analytical skills using intuitive dashboards in 麻豆原创 Analytics Cloud. They answer questions like: Which player is the most improved? How can a team optimize its performance? Which sport averages the highest number of followers on social media? What is the value? It鈥檚 a fun, relevant, and accessible way to introduce analytics in the classroom鈥攏o 麻豆原创 experience needed.

The Maple Heir, on the other hand, is a scenario that introduces students to the fundamentals of running a business through the engaging story of inheriting a maple syrup company in Quebec, Canada. Students step into the role of a new stakeholder eager to understand and optimize the company鈥檚 operations, financial health, and growth potential. From analyzing income statements and profitability metrics to exploring production processes and workforce management, students can gain hands-on experience in making strategic business decisions. The scenario also addresses real-world challenges like seasonal demand fluctuations and business expansion opportunities. By visualizing data and presenting actionable insights with 麻豆原创 Analytics Cloud, students can learn essential concepts in entrepreneurship, finance, and operations in a gamified, accessible way.

Both scenarios are built with educators in mind: they鈥檙e easy to integrate into existing curricula and supported by ready-made teaching materials. Whether in economics, business, IT, or interdisciplinary courses, they can offer an engaging way to make learning stick.

Empowering educators to build the future

The launch of these two new scenarios reaffirms 麻豆原创鈥檚 commitment to empowering the academic community to build the future workforce鈥攐ne student at a time. By helping students master analytics tools, hone critical thinking, and gain early exposure to business systems, Business Builders helps ensure they鈥檙e better prepared for internships, first jobs, and long-term careers.

In a world increasingly shaped by AI and data, it鈥檚 not just about knowing how to code or use a tool鈥攊t鈥檚 about thinking critically, communicating clearly, and making sense of complex information. With Business Builders, educators can give students a head start in all of these areas.

If you’re an educator looking to enhance your curriculum with innovative, practical learning tools, explore today or join one of our to experience it in action and hear firsthand from those already using it.

Thorsten Haas is part of 麻豆原创 University Alliances.

One in four Americans hitting peak burnout before turning 30, and over half of American workers across age ranges they are currently experiencing at least moderate levels of burnout. The state of modern workplace stress is accelerating, and it can create mental health concerns for employees鈥攁s well as high turnover, low productivity, and worse business outcomes for employers.

What鈥檚 fueling it? Increasingly, point to 鈥減seudowork.鈥� Pseudowork is busy work: the constant churn of e-mails, meetings, and low-impact tasks that leave employees drained and unfulfilled.

When a workday is filled with seemingly endless busy work, it may be a natural reaction to get home and ask yourself, 鈥淲hat did I actually accomplish today?鈥� Simultaneously exhausting and demoralizing, pseudowork may be a key contributor to the burnout increasingly felt by younger generations.

If pseudowork is a key contributor to employee burnout, then the solution may be the opposite: opportunities for real learning and development in the workplace. Almost a third of employees that high-quality training at work left them feeling 鈥渢ruly enlightened and invigorated.鈥� They also felt 鈥渉ighly valued and empowered鈥� by their employers, recognizing the continuous investment in their development. In addition to the obvious benefit of creating a more highly-skilled workforce, learning opportunities help employees feel a sense of achievement, excitement, and empowerment鈥攂reaking up the pattern of pseudowork and combatting burnout in the process.

This kind of meaningful learning can be unlocked through , which allows people from the entire 麻豆原创 ecosystem to access a wide range of to enjoy while taking a break from answering yet another e-mail. Structured 麻豆原创 Learning Journeys can allow workers to dive in at their own pace according to their unique needs and goals. They can be seamlessly integrated into daily work routines to allow employees to forge their own continuous learning path. As an said herself, 鈥溌槎乖� Certification boosts my confidence and adaptability. Continuous learning听not only enriches my knowledge base but also ensures that the solutions I provide are cutting-edge and in sync with the evolving tech landscape.鈥�

By integrating continuous learning into daily routines, organizations can do more than build skills鈥攖hey can reinvigorate their teams and begin to truly counter the effects of pseudowork.

Sabine Benz is head of Enablement and Engagement at 麻豆原创.

In response to this mounting pressure, 麻豆原创 has launched 鈥攁 no-cost global program that can provide students and academic educators with all the curated resources needed to get and stay certified and stand out with proven skills in the latest 麻豆原创 innovations. It offers guided learning resources, including expert-led live sessions, access to practice systems to get hands-on experience, and two 麻豆原创 Certification exam attempts.

Available globally since April 2025, the program is designed to close the gap between classroom theory and real-world readiness, giving students access to all the resources they need to future-proof their career with the latest skills and credentials.

Closing the global skills gap鈥攐ne student at a time

The need for a program like this has never been higher. With AI-related course enrollments spiking by and increased fears of digital obsolescence, students and early-career professionals are looking for practical, on-the-job experience鈥攏ot just theoretical knowledge鈥攖o empower them to meet change with adaptability, not anxiety.

The timing of this initiative is critical, too. IDC projects that by 2026, over 90% of organizations will suffer from a shortage of IT skills, costing them trillions in missed opportunities. Employers are struggling to find graduates who not only understand digital technologies but can also use them effectively from day one. Dr. Katharina Sch盲fer, global head of 麻豆原创 University Alliances, believes 麻豆原创 Learning Hub, student edition will help bridge this skills gap: 鈥溌槎乖� Learning Hub, student edition simplifies lesson planning and instruction for lecturers while also ensuring students gain practical experience with the latest 麻豆原创 technologies to prepare them for today鈥檚 job market.鈥�

Students, educators, and employers alike win

Designed for students, the site offers self-paced content and guided and tailored learning to help gain practical skills. Along with accessing the latest practice systems for 麻豆原创 solutions, students can connect directly with 麻豆原创 experts in live sessions to cover more complex topics. With 麻豆原创 Learning Hub, student edition, students can gain the confidence to work on key 麻豆原创 projects, drive innovation with their proven proficiency, and continuously develop the skills to stand out to employers.

Beyond students, the benefits of extend to lecturers who can now have access to guided, practical resources to help empower their students to graduate with an 麻豆原创 Certification. 鈥淭his program lowers the barrier for me to teach with real 麻豆原创 tools,鈥� said Nancy Jones, a lecturer and curriculum developer. 鈥淢y students are walking away not just with knowledge鈥攂ut with proof that they can apply it.鈥�

The solution can also give companies a powerful new lever to tap into certified, workforce-ready talent鈥攎any of whom have been trained in the technologies they use on a daily basis. HR leaders and hiring managers can also benefit from an efficient recruitment process by easily identifying candidates with validated 麻豆原创 expertise. This also helps reduce the need for extensive training, shorten onboarding times, and ensure the company鈥檚 readiness for future challenges鈥攁 win for all.

Overcoming with future-ready skills

麻豆原创 Learning Hub, student edition arrives at a time when AI and digital transformation are redefining job requirements. This digital solution can give young talents鈥攁nd the educators who support them鈥攁n effective way to keep pace. In doing so, they鈥檙e laying the foundation for a more resilient, skilled workforce that鈥檚 ready to meet the challenges and opportunities of the modern economy head-on.

More information can be found here:

• Students:  
• Lecturers:

Andre Bechtold is president of 麻豆原创 Industries & Experiences.

This is where the latest update of the 麻豆原创 Preferred Success offering comes in. It now offers a workshop designed to transform AI adoption into a structured, achievable process. Tailored support focuses on scaling AI initiatives confidently and responsibly in cloud solutions from 麻豆原创.

Adding a business AI accelerator workshop to 麻豆原创 Preferred Success demonstrates 麻豆原创鈥檚 commitment to going beyond advancing technology adoption. Combining deep expertise, strategic frameworks, and cutting-edge AI capabilities, the workshop helps empower companies to unlock their full potential with bold innovations and measurable business outcomes.

Setting a transformative foundation for AI integration

Supported by a comprehensive framework, the business AI accelerator workshop provides essential knowledge, strategic frameworks, and a clear action plan to leverage AI for improved business processes, data-driven decision-making, and enhanced customer experiences. But what makes this new addition remarkable is its focus on delivering .

Enhanced with the software industry鈥檚 broadest data sets, the service can integrate AI into business processes while upholding the highest standards of ethics, data privacy, and governance. This can enable companies to embrace AI with trust and transparency while achieving tangible outcomes.

Accelerating time to value is another key benefit of the workshop. By rapidly deploying AI models and solutions, organizations can quickly realize the benefits of automation, optimization, and data-driven decision-making. They can participate in tailored sessions to identify high-impact use cases that align with their unique needs and plan a road map for simplifying the complexities of integrating AI capabilities into existing processes.

Beyond its technical strengths, the workshop emphasizes effective change management and comprehensive governance. These practices can foster organizational buy-in, strengthen compliance, and support a smooth transition to AI-driven operations. And when combined with 麻豆原创鈥檚 scalable, cloud-based AI services, businesses can gain the flexibility to grow sustainably, adapt to evolving demands, and future-proof their operations.

Guiding the path to bold innovation and simplicity

The workshop can provide a structured approach for organizations seeking effective AI adoption. It begins by introducing foundational business AI concepts, 麻豆原创鈥檚 AI strategy, and the AI services available from 麻豆原创. This initial overview highlights AI鈥檚 possibilities, helping organizations understand its potential impact on business operations.

Building on this foundation, the workshop conducts an AI readiness assessment of the customer鈥檚 麻豆原创 landscape, IT infrastructure, and overall consumption behavior. This evaluation identifies suitable AI use cases and establishes a tailored road map for AI adoption.

In parallel, the workshop can strengthen governance, compliance, and ethical considerations by establishing a comprehensive data governance framework. This helps ensure data accuracy, legality, privacy, and security across AI applications, enabling organizations to maintain high data quality, regulatory compliance, and stakeholder trust while mitigating legal risks.

Change management is another essential component of the workshop. Organizations can learn best practices for AI adoption in 麻豆原创 solutions, including strategies to secure organizational buy-in, reduce resistance, and transition smoothly into AI-driven operations.

Next, a resource and skill set evaluation is conducted to help identify gaps in AI expertise. Organizations can leverage this information to build a skilled team capable of effectively adopting AI solutions and sustaining long-term success.

The workshop then focuses on strategic use-case identification, guiding participants through interactive sessions to uncover high-value AI opportunities aligned with business goals. This process can provide customers with AI use cases tailored to meet each organization鈥檚 specific needs and strategic objectives.

By the end of the workshop, organizations can gain a comprehensive action plan that helps transform insights into execution鈥攄riving AI adoption with confidence while fostering co-innovation and collaborative growth.

Shaping the future with AI and innovation at the core

We at 麻豆原创 and our customers can work together to shape a future where technology drives meaningful impact with the business AI accelerator workshop. Whether identifying impactful use cases relevant for business or adopting AI-driven solutions, organizations can maximize the value of their technology investments and help ensure lasting outcomes with greater agility, scalability, and efficiency.

Kiron Satyavarapu is global solution owner of 麻豆原创 Preferred Success at 麻豆原创.

As businesses increasingly adopt cloud-first strategies, their approach to IT infrastructure and enterprise applications is significantly evolving. Recent studies show that artificial intelligence (AI) adoption has more than tripled since 2017, with over 70% of companies now integrating AI into their operations.* For 麻豆原创 customers, this transition presents opportunities to leverage innovative technologies and enhance business agility. However, success relies heavily on careful planning, strong partnerships, and future-ready skills.

To help customers remain agile, respond quickly to innovations, and continuously evolve their operations, 麻豆原创 and its partners are committed to maintaining certified skills. New requirements, including annual certification renewals, ensure that experts stay current. By July of this year, all partner resources in key roles鈥攕uch as enterprise architects, developers, business transformation management consultants, and project managers involved in RISE with 麻豆原创 projects鈥攎ust hold a valid . Furthermore, by the end of 2025, 50% of relevant partner practitioners are expected to possess at least one valid certification across the 麻豆原创 solution portfolio.

Since its launch in 2021, 麻豆原创 partners have been integral to transformation projects, leveraging their expertise to tailor solutions to customer needs. From designing cloud transition road maps to implementing process automation and optimizing costs, partners can enable businesses to maximize the value of 麻豆原创 solutions. They help ensure organizations adopt intelligent enterprise practices efficiently while addressing unique challenges and goals.

鈥淭his mutual commitment underscores 麻豆原创 and its partners’ dedication to delivering exceptional value, staying ahead of evolving industry standards, and driving customer success in an ever-evolving landscape,鈥� says Karl Fahrbach, chief partner officer at 麻豆原创. 鈥淲orking with certified innovators skilled in the latest 麻豆原创 technologies enables customers to achieve significant benefits鈥攆rom reducing errors and risks to fostering innovation and accelerating deployment times.鈥�

By collaborating with certified partner experts, customers can expect to adapt more readily to change and maintain competitiveness in a dynamic market. 麻豆原创 and its partners’ commitment to innovative 麻豆原创 skills highlights the importance of , working to ensure exceptional value delivery. With the latest competencies in high-demand 麻豆原创 solutions, 麻豆原创’s ecosystem of partners strives to achieve our shared goal: delivering innovation excellence to customers.

*

Andre Bechtold is SVP and head of Solution & Innovation Experience at 麻豆原创.

Product demos play a crucial role in helping customers visualize the core features and capabilities of 麻豆原创 solutions. Customers want to see tangible proof of how 麻豆原创 solutions can solve their pain points and improve their success. However, creating tailored demos that reflect customer needs can be resource-intensive and time-consuming. is designed to provide clarity and confidence, simplifying this process and enabling partners to deliver high-quality, relevant demos that resonate with customers.

Using Live Data to Showcase Real-World Scenarios

麻豆原创 partners can gain free and unlimited access for up to 10 users to an integrated, pre-scripted demo landscape with a continuously updated library of, as of the start of 2025, more than 240 demos to 100 麻豆原创 solutions across various landscapes. These turnkey, scripted demos utilize live data to showcase real-world scenarios and processes, allowing to effectively address customer challenges and demonstrate the full potential of 麻豆原创 solutions. With access to interactive demo scripts, professionals can build their own knowledge and leverage interactive value journeys to explore demos in a click-through format without needing a live system.

Driving Meaningful Business Outcomes in Delivering Value to the Customers

As many organizations are undergoing digital transformation, the new demo environment is a game-changer. It empowers users to enhance their skills and leverage future-ready demos that can directly address customer鈥檚 needs, ultimately helping to drive meaningful business outcomes and foster long-term partnerships.

鈥淭he new 麻豆原创 Demo Environment 2.0 is a significant leap forward in equipping 麻豆原创 partners to effectively convey the value of 麻豆原创 solutions,鈥� says Karl Fahrbach, chief partner officer at 麻豆原创. 鈥淏y streamlining the demo process with a comprehensive library of cutting-edge demos and interactive demo scripts, partners can double-down on their commitment to innovation excellence, drive customer success, and unlock new opportunities for growth.鈥�

Andre Bechtold is SVP and head of Solution and Innovation Experience at 麻豆原创.

A recent survey reported that cognitive skills, such as creative thinking, analytical thinking, and technology literacy, a type of critical thinking skill, are forecast to be the most sought-after employee skills by 2027.

Collaboration between academia and industry is essential to deliver these skills at speed to students. That鈥檚 why the has been forging partnerships with educational institutions for 25 years, with more than 2,800 institutions currently working with 麻豆原创 to educate tomorrow鈥檚 talent with 麻豆原创 skills.

One of these partners is , a prestigious, internationally recognized business school with a long history of creating innovative learning approaches to equip students with 麻豆原创 skills.

Two decades ago, HEC Montr茅al pioneered , a revolutionary and hugely successful educational tool immersing students in a real-life business scenario within 麻豆原创. Today, an estimated 30,000 students a year learn with ERPsim.

In an interview, Professor Pierre-Majorique L茅ger of HEC Montr茅al talked about the latest collaboration between HEC Montr茅al and 麻豆原创: Business Builders, the next generation of 麻豆原创 gamified learning.

Business Builders: Game On with 麻豆原创 Analytics Cloud

Business Builders is a gamified learning tool that can develop STEM skills and helps students sharpen their analytical, critical, and creative thinking skills using the solution.

Professor L茅ger says educators are caught up in the generative AI tsunami and need to 鈥渞ethink a new pedagogical approach for students to develop data analytics and data literacy skills while at the same time recognizing that ChatGPT, for example, makes it super easy for students to circumvent doing the tasks themselves.鈥�

Business Builders is one solution to that problem.

The game can be played either face-to-face or in virtual teaching sessions, either synchronously in a single session or over several sessions.

Students find themselves in one of three scenarios in a fast-paced, competitive game with interactive, realistic learning scenarios. There is no chance of resorting to ChatGPT or a similar AI tool to win. Instead, students must demonstrate data-driven decision-making skills and apply visualization techniques to make informed decisions.

In each game, students take on roles such as marketing or product researcher, financial analyst, or supply chain analyst. Each game has multiple stages, with subsequent stages demanding greater skills and knowledge.

The stages comprise 10 business questions targeting different levels of skills and knowledge. The business questions are designed for students with little or no data analytics skills as well as those with more advanced data visualization and manipulation skills.

As part of the game, students use 麻豆原创 Analytics Cloud to visually analyze the data and identify the best graphical representations to answer the questions.

Real-Life Problems with Realistic Data

The game uses vast synthetic data sets to make the business decision-making process as authentic as possible. 鈥淭he notion of synthetic data is important,鈥� Professor L茅ger explains, 鈥渂ecause sometimes reality is too complex to bring into the classroom and does not serve the pedagogical process. Based on experience with ERPsim, creating a realistic synthetic data set that is as close as possible to reality is the best way to go.鈥�

Business Builders currently offers three game scenarios offering a diverse range of real-life problems that students can solve using 麻豆原创 Analytics Cloud: environmental, social, and governance; supply chain resilience; and international expansion.

According to HEC Montr茅al, the most-played scenario to date is supply chain resilience. This scenario involves a real-life problem where the Panama Canal gets shut down due to climate change, affecting the shipment of holiday gifts from Southeast Asia to the United States. Students are tasked with deciding how to reroute the containers and prioritize products to minimize the impact of this event.

A Win-Win for Students, Educators, and Employers

鈥淚t is the challenge of our generation of professors faced with generative AI to come up with a novel way to teach students about data analytics,鈥� Professor L茅ger says. 鈥淲e have found a way of using gamification to engage students in leveraging what they know about analytics and mathematics to become business builders. Using data to get insights and solving problems on the best technology that exists 鈥� 麻豆原创 Analytics Cloud. And the best thing of all, it鈥檚 free for lecturers and their students around the world.鈥�

To guide students through the game scenario questions and help optimize the learning experience, educators have access to tailor-made training materials. Instead of taking a hit-and-miss approach with the data and platform features, these tailor-made training materials help lecturers deepen the learning experience. Students can understand how insights are uncovered and how to make informed business decisions based on analysis of data sets and data visualizations.

麻豆原创 has also created a handbook about the basic concepts of data visualization and storytelling in 麻豆原创 Analytics Cloud. Available in a slide-deck format, educators can refer to the theoretical aspects while students are getting hands-on practical experience in 麻豆原创 Analytics Cloud.

Since its launch in July 2024, more than 300 educational institutions have registered for access to the Business Builders game and an anticipated 2,500 students will use 麻豆原创 Analytics Cloud to compete with their peers in the game by the end 2024.

With technology accelerating at an ever-increasing speed, the good news is that educators can register and get up and running with Business Builders free of charge in a just matter of days. Find out how on the website.

With the move to the newest, cloud-based solutions 鈥� and while turning to certified experts, skilled in the latest innovations 鈥� 麻豆原创 customers can get the job done.

To fully leverage the advantages of the latest 麻豆原创 solutions, it is crucial for teams to possess up-to-date skills in the latest product developments. This is where certifications come into play.

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麻豆原创 reinvented its certification program earlier this year to commit to innovation excellence and prioritize continuous learning and assessments to get and stay certified. Professionals possessing the skills for the latest 麻豆原创 solutions are set to drive faster implementation projects, reduce risks, and enhance overall business efficiency.

This also means an annual renewal of with short assessments on the latest product updates. And with the first deadline approaching 鈥� all 麻豆原创 Certifications issued before April 2024 will expire on March 31, 2025 鈥� certified professionals must act now to maintain their certification.

Deliver Maximum Value with Validated Up-to-Date Skills

麻豆原创’s goal is to make it easier and faster for everyone to learn the latest skills and maintain their certification. The redesigned certification program has two key objectives:

• It provides streamlined access to learning and quick quiz assessments, making it easier and faster to acquire and maintain the latest skills and certifications.
• It maintains excellence for innovation by ensuring that certified professionals meet quality standards across 麻豆原创 solutions. 听

To get and stay certified, only a subscription to is needed. It provides access to all needed to prepare for a certification exam with guided learning resources such as expert-led live sessions and hands-on practice systems. Four certification exam attempts per learner per year are included in the subscription, and it also provides the simple approach to remain certified with short quizzes 鈥� making it an all-in-one-solution to gain the latest skills and drive innovation.

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麻豆原创 Launches First AI Certification

Being constantly updated, the 麻豆原创 Certification portfolio reflects the latest 麻豆原创 innovations. In line with the growing importance of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning skills, 麻豆原创 is introducing its first certification for generative AI developers, set to launch in December. Verifying skills in 麻豆原创 Business AI capabilities and 麻豆原创 Business Technology Platform application extensions, the certification touches on the 麻豆原创 Business AI strategy, ethics, and methods for performance for use cases for large language models (LLMs). Using 麻豆原创鈥檚 generative AI hub, professionals will also work on real-life business problems while upskilling.

This certification, among all the others,already available, highlights 麻豆原创鈥檚 commitment to equipping professionals with innovative skills critical for the workplace of the future, offering numerous self-paced learning journeys, AI-specific courses, and resources to prepare learners for success in this transformative field.

Your Time to Act Is Now

is a commitment to driving innovation excellence.

With the first deadline approaching, organizations can now act and ensure that their teams are certified and prepared to meet demands with confidence and expertise in the latest 麻豆原创 innovations. The enhanced certification program offers the chance to partner with certified experts to support the success of transformation projects and that they run at their best. And certified individuals can now claim their spot among excellent innovators, staying ahead in their career by renewing their certification.

Do not wait! To lead with excellence to drive innovation, .

Andre Bechtold is senior vice president and head of Solution and Innovation Experience at 麻豆原创.

With the rise of 麻豆原创 Business AI solutions, the 麻豆原创 AppHaus and 麻豆原创 Solution & Innovation Experience teams joined forces to develop an 麻豆原创 Learning Journey based on the existing 麻豆原创 Business AI Explore and Design workshops, both available in the . These formats were designed based on experiences gained in co-innovation projects with customers. In these projects, diverse teams of users, partners, designers, coaches, and enterprise architects worked on identifying use cases in their respective business scenario that could be enhanced and redesigned with the help of 麻豆原创 Business AI.

As Karen Detken, 麻豆原创 AppHaus strategic designer, puts it: “This journey aims to equip business executives, development teams, and innovation practitioners with a structured approach to identify and define AI use cases that benefit both the company and the end users. The collaborative exercises described in the journey are explained in detail to enable anyone, even those without extensive facilitation experience, to conduct these sessions on their own. Our ultimate goal is to bring innovation into the hands of people and make best use of the latest technologies.”

Who Are the Learners?

This journey is designed for anyone interested in finding meaningful use cases for AI that can benefit end users and businesses. Here are some scenarios on how different people at an organization can benefit from it:

Early Talent Anil Heads to a Customer-Facing Role

Anil just finished university and joined 麻豆原创 as an early talent. His role is in the field organization and he would like to consult customers on innovative solutions built with 麻豆原创 BTP. With this goal in mind, he took design thinking training at university.

The 麻豆原创 Learning Journey’s course material, templates, and guidance will enable him to help customers identify use cases that offer great innovation potential when redesigned with 麻豆原创 Business AI. For Anil, the journey is an opportunity to support his new customer account team in the context of the latest AI technology and work with the customer teams along well-described workshop steps.

What鈥檚 more, the acquired learning badge comes in handy and can be shared via social media.

Experienced Account Manager Sophie Relies on Continued Learning

To serve her customers best, account manager and business coach Sophie wants to be at the forefront of future-oriented learning. After completing trainings and gaining experience with generative AI applications, she is now happy to get hands-on help through this new 麻豆原创 Learning Journey on how to work with customers and evaluate business challenges that can be turned into innovation opportunities with the help of 麻豆原创 Business AI. She hopes to reach her ambitious goal of doing this customer-facing workshop with the customer team and identifying different use cases.

As one of the first attendees who completed the course, she happily adds the course badge to her different social and HR accounts as a kind of personal unique selling point, but not without first sharing a summary of her key takeaways on LinkedIn.

麻豆原创 Partner CEO Jacky Wants to Apply the Knowledge to Benefit Customers

In Jacky鈥檚 role as founder and CEO of one of 麻豆原创鈥檚 consulting partners, Jacky always looks for the latest enablement and training opportunities for the team. In the case of the new journey 鈥淎pplying a Human-Centered Approach to Identify and Define Business AI Use Cases,鈥� Jacky was very curious to participate early on. Based on his basic knowledge of generative AI as well as the intrinsic consequences of this new technology, legal regulations, and other factors to be considered in customer projects, this workshop added complementary material and guidance for customer-facing work. Right after completing the course, Jacky recommends the 麻豆原创 Learning Journey to the entire global team.

What鈥檚 more, Jacky sets up a task force with three volunteers to plan a customer roadshow to share this knowledge. He sees this workshop format as a good way to pique customers鈥� curiosity regarding innovation potential that can be unlocked with the help of 麻豆原创 Business AI. What鈥檚 more, this roadshow could also position his team as cutting-edge technology consultants and trusted AI advisors.

Developer and Enterprise Architect Lenny Wants to Learn How to Gather Requirements Early On and with Customers

After years in classical development roles, Lenny has grown her expertise and become an enterprise architect. She likes the exchange with customers and seeing how new 麻豆原创 solutions improve their work and user experience.

In a recent meeting with her manager, Lenny heard about a new 麻豆原创 Learning Journey on co-innovation workshops with customers where requirements for a new solution are gathered during the first two workshop sessions. As this directly complements her work as an enterprise architect working with customer and account teams on new solutions, she wants to start the journey right away. Lenny can鈥檛 wait to support customers in designing new solutions with the help of 麻豆原创 Business AI built into the core business processes and existing 麻豆原创 BTP landscapes.

Valuable Insights for Many Purposes

No matter if people are in a similar situation as Anil, Sophie, Jacky, or Lenny, or just curious about investigating around new AI solutions, the 麻豆原创 Learning Journey can provide valuable insights for many different purposes.

When asked, what it is that sets this journey apart from others, both Mariam Lolua-Hessler, 麻豆原创 Global Product and Solution Learning, and Sreekanth Sreedharan, 麻豆原创 Partner Solution Enablement, replied: 鈥淯nlike most courses that dive deep into the techy side of AI, this journey really focuses on why we need AI in the first place. It鈥檚 more about understanding the reasons behind it, which makes this training stand out.鈥�

Imke Vierjahn is 麻豆原创 AppHaus communications lead at 麻豆原创.
Image courtesy of Hyun Lee, 麻豆原创 AppHaus, senior UX design specialist.

A recent report from the that 44% of employees鈥� core skills are expected to change in the next five years. To stay ahead in a constantly changing workplace, organizations must not only understand this shift but actively adopt new technology to drive reskilling and upskilling, data-driven decision-making, and continuous learning at scale.

Creating a Unified Skills Foundation for Learning and Talent

麻豆原创 provides the tools and intelligence needed for organizations to adopt a robust learning and talent strategy and meet this challenge head-on. The 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors HCM suite leverages embedded AI across the entire talent lifecycle, from recruiting and onboarding through ongoing learning and development. At the heart of this capability is the talent intelligence hub, a single source of truth for skills intelligence across the entire organization.

We recently announced that the talent intelligence hub can now integrate skills from external partners 鈥� a unique differentiator that truly empowers organizations to have one single view of the skills across their business while giving employees access to a constantly evolving skills profile. Partners like Beamery, Degreed, IMOCHA INC,听Korn Ferry, Lightcast, Phenom, TalenTeam, and TechWolf will integrate their skills data into the talent intelligence hub 鈥� with more partners to come in the future. These partnerships can empower organizations to integrate existing skills frameworks and create a more unified, future-ready workforce.

鈥溌槎乖� has invested heavily into its skills capabilities over the last several years and it is paying off,鈥� said Josh Bersin, industry analyst. 鈥淭he promise of a skills-led workforce only works if companies have their skills in one integrated place. With these new integrations, 麻豆原创鈥檚 talent intelligence hub does just that.鈥�

Driving Continuous Growth That Evolves Over Time

Building a skills foundation has been a top priority for HR leaders for several years. found that one-third of HR leaders plan to increase learning and development spending to develop evolving skills at speed and scale.

With an established skills foundation, organizations have the data to drive ongoing growth and development for their employees. 麻豆原创 has several solutions that work together to help provide an integrated employee experience that can adapt throughout their career: 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors Learning and the newly announced 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors Career and Talent Development.

Career paths are not linear. According to the , the Baby Boomer generation held an average of 12 jobs by age 56鈥�, and Millennials are estimated to hold up to 16 jobs in their career. Rather, it鈥檚 normal for employees to switch job functions that require upskilling, mentorships, fellowships, a lateral move, or a combination. 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors Career and Talent Development helps guide employees and managers to shape careers based on personal aspirations and organizational priorities. Using AI, it can recommend skills and experiences as well as clearly defined steps that an employee would need to meet their career goals. Recommendations can be enhanced and adjusted based on how that employee progresses 鈥� whether it鈥檚 by learning new skills or participating in a new opportunity.

A critical part of any career progression and upskilling is learning. 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors Learning can complement the personalized approach in 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors Career and Talent Development with AI-recommended content that helps foster curiosity and discovery. It can go beyond mandatory learning for safety and compliance to include content for topics and skills they are interested in. In addition, skills tagged to learning items help employees to discover the next learning steps reflecting their interests, needs, and for further growth. Data from 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors Learning can filter back to the talent intelligence hub, helping to ensure employees鈥� skills profiles are constantly up-to-date.

Customer Success with 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors

麻豆原创 is helping businesses like Norsk Hydro and Grundfos Holding stay ahead by combining cutting-edge AI capabilities with a comprehensive learning and talent strategy.

By leveraging the talent intelligence hub, Norsk Hydro has adopted a unified skills model that spans recruiting, onboarding, learning, development, performance, and succession. Each employee maintains a growth portfolio, empowering them to take ownership of their career development by adding role-specific skills and focusing on their priorities. Norsk Hydro has also embraced the new integrated learning experience, using AI to recommend relevant skills-based learning opportunities. By tagging courses with the right skills and connecting learning directly to business goals, Norsk Hydro ensures that employees can easily access the training they need to grow and succeed.

is harnessing the talent intelligence hub to foster a more agile, project-based work environment, empowering employees to take on diverse roles based on their skills rather than job titles. This strategic shift not only promotes internal mobility but also enhances employee retention and satisfaction by establishing clear pathways for professional growth and development. Additionally, people leaders now have a comprehensive overview of team members’ skills, facilitating immediate skill assessments and streamlining competency management across the organization. This approach enhances the ability to align talent with business needs effectively, driving both individual and organizational success.

With today鈥檚 rapid pace of innovation, having the skills data to fuel data-driven insights for workforce planning and employee growth will be a differentiator for organizations. 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors solutions are designed to scale and evolve as business and the workforce change.

Tune into to learn more about the latest innovations in 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors solutions, including 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors Career and Talent Development.

Dan Beck is president and chief product officer at 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors.

The world today is grappling with a polycrisis 鈥� a complex set of interconnected global challenges that impact economies, industries, and job markets simultaneously. From climate change and geopolitical tensions to technological disruptions and economic instability, these crises are reshaping the landscape of work, especially for young people. While youth unemployment remains high, employers worldwide are also struggling to fill critical roles, highlighting a significant skills gap.

According to the (ILO), global youth unemployment was 13% in 2023, with many young people facing limited prospects for stable and decent work. On the flip side, the (WEF) found that 44% of businesses report difficulties in finding talent with the right skills to fill jobs. This contrast reflects a deepening mismatch between the supply of young job seekers and the demand for skilled talent, which, if left unaddressed, will exacerbate both unemployment and the talent shortage.

To tackle this challenge, we must take a comprehensive, systems-based approach, focusing on five interconnected elements: economy, education, employability, equality, and the ecosystem. Together, these factors can help close the skills gap, reduce youth unemployment, and create pathways to decent work for all.

Economy: Growing Jobs and Funding

Economic growth remains a critical driver of job creation, but the quality and inclusivity of that growth matter. In many parts of the world, jobless growth has become a pressing concern, as economies expand without generating enough formal employment opportunities for young people. Youth unemployment continues to rise even in nations with positive GDP growth, indicating that inclusive economic policies and investment in key sectors are lacking (ILO, 2024).

Moreover, the alignment between economic growth and investment in education is critical. The highlights that national budgets for education often fall short of the recommended 4%-6% of GDP that UNESCO advocates. Without adequate financial support, education systems cannot provide the skills and competencies needed to prepare young people for modern job markets, leaving many young workers without the necessary tools to succeed.

Education: Providing the Foundation for Lifelong Learning

Education systems need to evolve to meet the changing demands of the workforce. The emphasizes the importance of embedding skills, knowledge, attitudes, and values into education systems to ensure that young people are prepared for lifelong learning. In particular, stackable credentials 鈥� modular qualifications that allow learners to build expertise over time 鈥� are becoming an essential component of successful education-to-employment transitions.

Despite the need for adaptable learning pathways, many education systems remain rigid and slow to adopt these models. However, countries that have embraced flexible learning, such as Germany with its robust vocational education and training (VET) programs, have been able to reduce youth unemployment significantly. The integration of industry-specialized learning and competency-based education is critical for preparing young people to thrive in an evolving workforce, particularly in sectors like technology and sustainability.

Employability: Training the Right Skills for Employment or Entrepreneurial Success

One of the most significant barriers to reducing youth unemployment is the skills mismatch 鈥� the gap between what young people learn and what employers need. The projects that 50% of employees will need reskilling by 2025 due to rapid technological advancements. Yet, traditional education systems are often not aligned with industry needs, leaving many young workers without the skills required for high-growth sectors.

Governments and businesses must collaborate to ensure that training programs are directly linked to market demand. Public-private partnerships, such as apprenticeship programs and industry-led training initiatives, can play a pivotal role in closing the skills gap. For example, in Switzerland, where education and training are tightly integrated with the labor market, youth unemployment is among the in the world. Building a system that continually adapts to changing workforce needs is essential for improving youth employability.

Recent trends show that many young people increasingly prefer entrepreneurship over traditional employment, driven by the desire for independence and the ability to create change. A 2019 study by Deloitte found that 76% of millennials view entrepreneurship as a key vehicle for driving social impact. However, research highlights the need for robust support systems to help these young entrepreneurs succeed. emphasizes that access to entrepreneurial education, mentorship, and skill development is critical for youth to thrive in their ventures.

Equality: Ensuring an Inclusive and Diverse Talent Pipeline

Any strategy to reduce youth unemployment must prioritize equality, ensuring that opportunities are equally accessible to all young people, regardless of their background, gender, or location. Despite advances in education, women and marginalized communities continue to face barriers to entry in high-growth industries, particularly in STEM fields. According to , only 35% of STEM graduates are women, highlighting the gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Programs that specifically target underrepresented groups 鈥� such as mentorships and women-in-tech initiatives 鈥� can help diversify the talent pipeline. Furthermore, companies that emphasize inclusive hiring practices, gender parity, and equity in leadership are not only contributing to social justice but also benefiting from a more innovative and dynamic workforce. The is clear: promoting diversity is a strategic advantage in the modern economy.

Ecosystem: Aligning Stakeholders for Maximum Impact

A thriving job market requires more than just a functioning economy and well-prepared workers 鈥� it needs a cohesive ecosystem where governments, businesses, educational institutions, and civil society work together efficiently. The underscores the importance of synergy across the value chain, ensuring that all stakeholders are aligned toward the goal of reducing unemployment and fostering decent work.

Successful models of ecosystem collaboration, like those seen in Singapore, offer valuable lessons for other nations. In these countries, the government plays a central role in orchestrating cooperation between educational institutions and industries to ensure that young people are being trained in fields that are projected to grow. Such synergies foster an environment where young people can transition smoothly from education to employment and where employers can easily find the talent they need.

As respective leaders, 麻豆原创 and UNICEF join forces to create innovative solutions to global skilling and workforce challenges with an aim to help young people transition to earning. Together, we鈥檙e generating inclusive opportunities for underserved young people worldwide, preparing them for decent work with the skills that employers need.

We expanded our partnership in 2022, with a three-year investment focused on impacting youth in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa through a new program that supports learning to earning pathways in growing digital and green economies. The program helps equip youth with the essential skills they need to flourish 鈥� wherever they may see their future. Further, it builds on UNICEF鈥檚 Generation Unlimited (GenU) signature program, Youth Agency Marketplace (YOMA), a platform developed by young Africans to tackle labor market challenges and increase youth agency across the globe. By the end of the first year, 麻豆原创 and UNICEF鈥檚 GenU reached more than 600,000 youth, granting them access to foundational and digital skills opportunities that help young people unlock opportunities in the changing global economy.

One of the learn to earn pathways on YOMA is the 麻豆原创 Educate to Employ initiative designed by 麻豆原创 to help equip beneficiaries with essential competencies for the digital economy. The free initiative, implemented by the local non-profit UMUZI, focuses on developing skills, knowledge, attitudes, and values to help prepare candidates for employment. It also aims to assist employers in accessing diverse and certified talent, thereby accelerating digital transformation in each country through a skilled talent pipeline. More than 1,000 learners completed one or more foundational skills courses, while 165 learners completed over 400 hours of critical skills development training and achieved an 麻豆原创 certification for technology consultant beginners. Additionally, 100 learners have completed their intermediate training on the 麻豆原创 Learning site and are preparing for 麻豆原创-certified associate exams.

This multistakeholder approach underscores the power of partnership in addressing complex social challenges. By pooling expertise and resources, 麻豆原创, UNICEF鈥檚 GenU, and UMUZI are collectively ensuring that youth not only gain relevant skills but also access meaningful pathways to employment. These partnerships exemplify the collaborative frameworks needed to drive sustainable impact on a global scale. As digital and green economies continue to reshape the future of work, partnerships that unite private, public, and civil society actors will remain crucial in ensuring that marginalized youth are not left behind.

A Path Forward

The polycrisis we face today demands multidimensional solutions that address both the supply and demand sides of the labor market. By focusing on the interconnected elements of economy, education, employability, equality, and ecosystem, we can create a comprehensive strategy to reduce youth unemployment and foster decent work for all.

Policymakers, business leaders, and educators must come together to close the skills gap, promote inclusive growth, and build resilient labor markets. The challenges are great, but so are the opportunities. With coordinated effort and sustained investment, we can build a future where young people have the skills, opportunities, and support they need to thrive in the global economy.

For more information on how 麻豆原创 is helping the world run better and improving people鈥檚 lives all year round, visit .

In response to this trend, 麻豆原创 is lowering access to acquiring these critical skills with an expanded partnership with 麻豆原创 PartnerEdge member and its education brand . K2 University is expanding its portfolio further, offering for 麻豆原创 solutions in the United States and Canada. Bringing high-quality and vetted 麻豆原创 learning content, methodology, and system access to even more people, this strategic move aims to provide individuals with the opportunity to deepen their 麻豆原创 knowledge through scheduled, live, instructor-led courses guided by experienced trainers 鈥� and to bring 麻豆原创 solutions to life. 听

Breaking down barriers and providing future-focused education to a broader audience, this collaboration is a testament to our commitment to empower individuals through accessible learning opportunities. Hearing that 麻豆原创 professionals like , a recent university graduate, can access amazing job opportunities thanks to their 麻豆原创 skills, underscores the importance of those learning programs. Beau knew that tech, and specifically 麻豆原创, was in increased demand. And while his story is inspiring, there are many more.  

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In fact, proves that upskilling not only helps individuals, but also organizations gain the right skills critical to drive digital transformation. Ensuring project success and maximizing the return on investment companies made with 麻豆原创 solutions, the study on the power of continuous upskilling was conducted by Forrester Consulting, a leading global market research company, and quantified several benefits for organizations. One of them was improved upskilling due to greater learning access, resulting in productivity gains of up to 25%. The study also showed a faster time to competence by 50% for users. Interviewees also reported cost savings and greater project success.  

We are confident that our extended partnership with K2 University in North America will continue this positive impact on many people and organizations. We look forward to a future of shared success and growth, solidifying our commitment to creating opportunity through learning and development for all.

麻豆原创’s dedication to delivering future-focused, cloud-first training both online and on-site will continue. This expanded offering with K2 marks the next step in widening the availability of training resources, as Wahridj Gergian, managing director of K2 University, highlighted in a recent conversation: 鈥溌槎乖� is a cornerstone in the tech world, and its solutions are vital for businesses worldwide. Cultivating 麻豆原创 skills is essential for professional growth and success in today’s digital landscape. I am thrilled that through our long-standing and successful partnership with 麻豆原创, we can now expand our offering to our audience, empowering them to excel in the tech industry and beyond. This is a significant step forward in K2 University鈥檚 commitment to providing valuable, in-demand skills to our community.鈥�

While this may just be the start, we are hoping to bring additional training offerings to other regions, making sure organizations are set up to bring out their best with 麻豆原创.

Andre Bechtold is SVP and head of Solution & Innovation Experience at 麻豆原创.

According to findings from over five years of global research conducted by 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors HR research scientists, 88% of employees would feel positively about skills-based people decisions in their organization. Along with employee satisfaction, HR and talent acquisition leaders see many potential benefits of the skills-based approach. For example, a focus on skills can support internal mobility, help realize employee potential, and make recruitment faster, easier, and more transparent.

So, what does 鈥渟kills-based鈥� mean? With a skills-based approach to human resource management, work is organized entirely around skills, from hiring and compensation to workforce planning, reskilling, and upskilling. Decisions are made based on skills and capabilities rather than traditional criteria like education or job experience.

Of course, there鈥檚 no universal blueprint that works for every scenario: there are multiple approaches to prioritizing skills in an organization. How skills-based practices are implemented depends on organizational culture, industry, labor regulations, and many other factors, but a great place to start is with skills-based hiring.

What Is Skills-Based Hiring?

Skills-based hiring is an approach to recruiting new employees based on their skills and ability to perform a job instead of the formal qualifications listed on their resume or curriculum vitae (CV), such as education or previous job titles.

Benefits of Skills-Based Hiring for Talent Acquisition

To understand why skills-based hiring works well for talent acquisition, we must consider the question ? At its core, talent acquisition aims to address not just the current talent needs but also the long-term, strategic workforce plans. It can do so by predicting what skills the organization will require in the future to stay competitive, grow, and scale to future needs. Skills-based hiring can support a future-oriented talent acquisition strategy, thanks to:

• Productivity: People with the right skills for the job can be more effective in their roles.
• Diverse talent pools: A skills-based approach helps find qualified talent that wouldn鈥檛 be found otherwise, expands talent pools, and increases workforce diversity.
• Transparency: Skills-based talent decisions can be more equitable, fair, and legally defensible while also helping candidates get clarity and more agency over their careers.
• Efficiency: Skills-based practices enable faster talent decisions, which, in turn, accelerate the entire recruitment process, reducing time to hire and improving productivity.
• Strategic hiring: A skills-based approach helps organizations understand the skills they will need in the future and hire talent to fill those gaps.
• Approach validation: Skills-based hiring is a great way to demonstrate the value of prioritizing skills鈥攂efore implementing the approach across other HR practices.

Considerations for Adopting Skills-Based Hiring: Exceptions, Misconceptions, and Challenges

Of course, there are still barriers to adopting the skills-based approach to hiring and recruitment. Sometimes, traditional criteria are necessary, such as when hiring for roles that require a specific degree or certification, like lawyers, doctors, and pilots. Candidates鈥� backgrounds and experience can also be crucial. Senior leaders may be chosen in part due to their industry or market experience; public relations leaders may be hired for their network and media contacts.  

There are also many misconceptions about . For instance, some believe that resumes are unsuitable for skills-based hiring because they鈥檙e structured around traditional criteria, such as education and past job titles. In reality, candidates can focus their CVs more on skills, and organizations can use applicant tracking systems and other recruitment software to analyze resumes and screen for the best applicants. In fact, thanks to the use of AI-enabled recruiting tools, skills can even be inferred from experience listed on resumes.

Finally, a widespread concern among talent acquisition leaders is how to make skills-based decisions equitably and efficiently. To do it fairly and thoroughly, they may need to research which skills are relevant for each role, devise custom skill assessments, and prepare job-specific interview questions rooted in the relevant skills. However, the recruitment process also needs to move along quickly, yield good results, and create a smooth candidate experience. So, although , many talent acquisition leaders are still concerned about the efficiency of this approach. Thankfully, this is where technology can make a crucial difference.

Removing Barriers to Skills-Based Hiring

Skills-enabling technologies have long been used in HR practices: online learning systems to help employees develop new skills and complete required training, job architectures that help define roles and the skills needed for them, and skill assessments to help understand the capabilities and skill proficiencies that people have. While some potential barriers to adopting a fully skills-based approach may exist for certain roles, AI can help empower organizations to hire the best talent with the skills needed to succeed. Using and 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors solutions can provide organizations with multiple approaches to adopting skills that may fit their unique workforce and hiring needs.

Using AI to Fuel Your Skills-Based Hiring Approach

The widespread adoption of has opened up new capabilities in talent acquisition software while also optimizing existing functions. For example, with the , talent acquisition teams can leverage AI to help them adopt skills-based hiring practices:

• Skills Framework: The 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors talent intelligence hub offers an AI-enabled skills framework that can allow organizations to consolidate skills data from multiple sources for a comprehensive view of their workforce. AI-driven capabilities within the skills framework can allow organizations to align skills to job roles to better understand and address skills gaps.
• Job descriptions: AI-assisted content generation allows recruiters to quickly create and enhance compelling skills-based job descriptions to attract diverse candidates with the right skill sets.
• Improved candidate experience: When candidates upload their resumes during the application process, AI-driven skills extraction allows them to view, validate, and manage skills on their profiles.

• Job recommendations: Upcoming innovations include the ability for candidates to use AI to help them find the best opportunity for them based on skills extracted from their resume.
• Resume analysis: Using AI-driven skill inference, recruiters can quickly analyze applicants鈥� resumes and compare best-matched candidates based on skills.
• Interview questions: With insights from skills data, AI can recommend relevant skills-based interview questions to ensure interviewers are prepared to fully engage with top candidates.
• Skills evaluations: Using AI-recommended interview questions, interviewers can effectively assess candidates and provide evaluations based on the skills needed for a role.
• Equitable decision-making: AI-assisted applicant screening helps recruiters make bias-free, skills-based hiring decisions quickly and confidently.

AI can be a true catalyst to an organization鈥檚 hiring potential, and many of our customers are already leveraging AI-enabled capabilities. If you鈥檙e curious how works, check out this .

is an excellent way to recruit the talent your organization needs to thrive and stay competitive鈥攖oday and into the future. The right recruitment software can make skills-based hiring intuitive, equitable, and efficient.  

For a deep dive into our skills research, on making skills a reality in your organization and .

At 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors, our have conducted five years of research to understand how skills can be effectively incorporated into HR strategies. After speaking with 278 HR leaders and surveying 9,432 global employees and managers, we鈥檝e identified to integrate skills into your people practices to become a skills-focused organization. Let鈥檚 explore these approaches and the technologies that can support them.

1. Skills-Implied Approach

In a skills-implied approach, organizations use traditional criteria like candidates鈥� or employees鈥� previous job titles, educational background, and past experience to make decisions instead of using skills data. Here, work is centered around job roles, and decisions about hiring and pay are based on job titles and levels. Learning and development is tailored to current roles, and promotions follow standard paths tied to credentials and tenure. Workforce planning tends to focus on short-term headcount needs, with minimal use of skills data for deeper analysis.

This approach is best for roles requiring specific certifications or highly specialized skills that are either externally regulated or require extensive training, such as lawyers, certified public accountants, and pilots.

In terms of tools and technology, job architectures can help clarify roles and align jobs based on the type of work performed. For example, the job profile builder in 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors solutions helps manage job elements such as descriptions, experiences, qualifications, skills, competencies, behaviors, education, and certifications. It can offer a flexible, intuitive way to identify and share job description components across an organization.

2. Skills-Included Approach

In a skills-included approach, work is organized around job roles with an emphasis on a few key technical skills. Hiring focuses mostly on traditional criteria like education but includes some skills assessment as well. Pay is generally based on job title and level, though skills might impact bonuses. Learning and development targets skills that are crucial for current or future roles. While skills are considered in workforce planning and reported in broad terms, they鈥檙e not connected with other data sources for deeper insights.

This works best for roles where required skills remain mostly consistent, but the prioritization and application of those skills evolve over time, as in, for example, sales and people management.

Recruiters can use AI-enabled recruiting tools to consider an applicant鈥檚 technical and professional skills during the hiring process. For example, the solution鈥檚 AI-assisted applicant screening can provide a skills compatibility score, allowing recruiters to view how well an applicant鈥檚 skills match job requirements. Candidate profiles include details on exact skills matches, additional relevant skills, potential skills, and missing skills to help recruiters quickly and effectively screen the best applicants.

Learning management systems can support targeted skill development for current roles. , for example, can offer AI-driven learning recommendations and a dynamic search feature that filters by criteria such as duration, mobile availability, and specific skills. This helps promote continuous learning and can guide employees in developing skills for advanced proficiency levels. Additionally, offer over 1,250 expertly curated learning paths aligned with high-demand skills and competencies. These include areas like AI and generative AI, cybersecurity, data management, leadership, first-time management, and performance and culture. Learners can refine their skills through various methods, including reading, watching, listening, and active practice.

3. Skills-Led Approach

In a skills-led approach, jobs are defined by a mix of technical and professional skills. Hiring looks at a range of skills, along with traditional criteria. Pay is linked to both the skills employees bring to the table and their performance. Learning and development is customized based on skills data and personal interests, helping to create personalized plans and internal mobility opportunities. Workforce planning becomes strategic, focusing on closing gaps between current and needed skills, and skills analytics are used to dive deep into skill levels and how they connect with other data.

This is best for roles where critical skills are specific or uncommon but proficiency can be inferred from adjacent skills, such as in marketing and operations.

Thinking about tools and technology, skills platforms can be useful to support this approach by tracking and analyzing skills across the workforce. The 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors talent intelligence hub, for example, uses an AI-driven framework to integrate skills data from multiple sources, enabling organizations to make data-driven talent decisions. In addition, learning platforms provide development opportunities tailored to individual skills and career goals. For example, offers AI-driven recommendations and peer suggestions for personalized learning. Skills tagging and the search for skills help to foster a habit of curiosity and a culture of continuous learning. Additionally, talent marketplaces like can offer experiential learning opportunities through AI-driven suggestions for mentors, short-term assignments, dynamic teams, and job openings.

4. Skills-Based Approach

In a skills-based approach, jobs do not exist 鈥� instead, work is organized entirely around the skills required to complete it. Hiring is all about evaluating skills instead of sticking to traditional criteria. Pay is tied to the skills employees currently have, with bonuses for skills that will be valuable in the future. Learning and development focuses on preparing for future skill needs, and internal mobility is driven by moving employees where their skills are most needed. Workforce planning is strategic, looking ahead to forecast what skills will be needed, and skills analytics keep track of trends and how skills connect with other business data.

This works for roles that rely more heavily on technical skills, roles that use certain tools or processes that are common across organizations or industries, and roles where skills can be gained outside of an educational setting, like HR, IT, and finance.

Integrated talent management platforms take care of all aspects of skills development and deployment in this approach. With , organizations can use an AI-driven, unified skills model that covers everything from recruiting to learning, performance, and succession planning. The 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors talent intelligence hub helps organizations get a clear view of their workforce by linking individual skills, strengths, and preferences with the right people and experiences across the platform. This can make managing skills throughout the employee lifecycle much easier and more effective.

As organizations work to weave skills into their HR strategies, understanding these four approaches can help them create a skills-based plan that fits their unique needs and goals. Whether you鈥檙e starting with a skills-implied approach for specialized roles or aiming for a skills-based framework for more dynamic functions, the key is to align the strategy with your organization’s specific context and objectives.

By exploring these approaches and using the right tools and technologies, organizations can build people practices that boost efficiency, transparency, and overall success. Finding the right mix and approach for your specific needs is key to unlocking the full potential of skills-based management.

to dive deeper into our skills research. Want to see how focusing on skills can unlock an organization鈥檚 potential? about Erie Insurance鈥檚 journey to becoming a skills-based organization.

, a global aluminum and renewable energy company based in Norway with 33,000 employees in 40 countries, is one example of an enterprise that is on a journey towards becoming a skills-based organization. Jeanine Fremstad, Norsk Hydro鈥檚 global lead for Skills and Learning, explains why the company is taking a proactive approach to skills development and learning: 鈥淲e need to keep up with the evolving landscape of workforce skills to remain competitive and at the forefront of our industry.鈥� 

Upholding a long-standing tradition of sustainable industrial development, Norsk Hydro has ambitions to pioneer the transition to 鈥済reen aluminum鈥� powered by renewable energy by the end of the decade. To get there, the organization decided to take a structured approach to skills and learning by undertaking a pilot project using 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors solutions.

Fremstad says the initiative is essential to Norsk Hydro’s business strategy and to attract and retain people. 鈥淲e need to know what skills we already have in the company in order to know what skills we need to attract. We also need to know what skills we need to develop,鈥� she says. 鈥淏eing able to offer attractive learning and development opportunities is key to retaining people.鈥�

She offers a straightforward assessment of where the organization stands and why change is necessary: 鈥淥ur internal research shows that one in three employees are unsatisfied with the opportunities for professional development, future careers, and equal opportunities. And we just think that鈥檚 not good enough; therefore, we started on a skills transition journey.鈥�

Selecting a Trusted Partner for AI-Driven Skills and Learning

In April 2024, Norsk Hydro began a pilot to offer its workforce access to AI-driven skills and learning recommendations for their professional development. With 100 employee participants in various countries, the company鈥檚 HR team has purposefully set the bar for success high. 鈥淲e believe that for Hydro as an organization, success will mean we will see improved employee experience and engagement, reduced attrition, and that we will have better insights from data for workforce planning,鈥� Fremstad says.

Norsk Hydro selected 麻豆原创 as its trusted technology partner and joined the 麻豆原创 Early Adopter Care program because of a shared vision for people-centric skills and AI-enabled learning. It is working closely on the project with 麻豆原创 partner , taking advantage of its Skills Transformation Suite to speed innovation.

Transitioning to a Skills-Based Organization

The first step in Norsk Hydro鈥檚 skills journey was to build the company鈥檚 skills library based on a curated skills library from an external provider. The AI-assisted curation process analyzed Norsk Hydro鈥檚 job architecture and 33,000 job titles and identified likely relevant skills from the external skills library. As a result, approximately 4,000 skills relevant to Norsk Hydro were mapped against job families. The central project team is working to validate and refine these results.

Next, Norsk Hydro used 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors talent intelligence hub to help gain the power and simplicity of a single skills model from recruiting, onboarding, learning, and development through to performance and succession. The talent intelligence hub can connect skills, attributes, strengths, and preferences to both people and experiences throughout 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors solutions. Each employee has a growth portfolio of skills, which helps empower them to own their learning and career development. Employees can also manually add role-specific skills and skills of interest for their development. Norsk Hydro is applying a trust-based approach that allows employees to maintain their skills profiles and build their development plans based on their prioritized skills. While certain skills may need to be validated and assessed for legal compliance requirements, the employee generally may decide their proficiency levels for most skills.

As a third deliverable in the project, Norsk Hydro updated its internal development process to ensure that skills are an integral part of the leader-employee dialogue. It aims to tighten the connection between skills, goals, performance, and learning.

Also, Norsk Hydro recently implemented the new integrated learning experience from 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors Learning. Embedded AI can enhance the employee鈥檚 experience with relevant skills-focused learning recommendations that are unique to each employee based on their needs and interests. Norsk Hydro鈥檚 offering of learning opportunities comprises a broad set of both internal and third-party channels. On the organization鈥檚 new learning homepage, all courses are now automatically tagged utilizing TalenTeam鈥檚 Skills Transformation Suite, so that relevant learning to close skills gaps is easy for employees to find and access.

The project team has taken away some good learnings on the journey to becoming a skills-based organization. For example, Fremstad recommends taking the time to validate the skills library to ensure the correct level of granularity for skills and establishing only one skills library to make certain each employee has a single skills profile. Different vendors use different skills taxonomies, which can cause problems when integrating them. She underscores that it鈥檚 important to constantly work towards delivering the best user experience possible.

A key element to the success of the pilot is continuously testing and collecting feedback from users, she says. Pending a successful pilot, Norsk Hydro鈥檚 long-term ambition is to implement the solution 鈥� offering AI-driven recommendations to help match employees with assignments, career opportunities, and mentors 鈥� and a broader rollout of the talent intelligence hub to all employees. Employees will benefit from having a 鈥渟ingle pane of glass鈥� overview for all learning and development opportunities across the organization.

Elevating Skills as the Red Thread in HR

Norsk Hydro is building a skills-based organization rooted in a learning culture that will ultimately deliver benefits to employees and leaders alike. Employees will gain the autonomy, leadership support, and growth mindset to set them on a path of lifelong learning and development, so that they have the skills they need to build their careers and ensure future employability. Leaders will benefit from having data-driven insights that support workforce planning and match the right people with the right task to achieve business goals. They will also be able to attract and develop talent by offering a more compelling career proposition that includes skills growth and re-skilling.

鈥淲e believe by doing this,鈥� Fremstad says, 鈥渨e are creating the foundation for a skills-based organization by starting with learning and development. Long term, we would like to see skills as the red thread throughout our HR processes.鈥�

Find out about solutions and the integrated learning experience from 麻豆原创 SuccessFactors Learning.