EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
MARITA MITSCHEIN , SENIOR VP , DIGITAL SKILLS , SOUTHERN EUROPE , MEA AND MD ,
SAP TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE
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As technology continues to evolve , skills for the workplace must also evolve . it is obvious that those companies that effectively train their workforce to be proficient in relevant digital and future skills can better utilise the abundance of available digital products and services to increase their business success .
By 2030 , more than 230 million jobs will require digital skills in Africa according to the International Finance Corporation ( IFC , World Bank ). Considering the current situation around the COVID-19 pandemic , these numbers will possibly increase due to a significant rise in the demand for digital tools and processes . This is an important change in the nature of work and needs to be taken seriously by organisations of all kinds and its leaders . developing the right skills is critical , not only for organisations but also economies to build and secure prosperity for all of us . An investment in knowledge pays the best interest – there is no doubt . Skills and lifelong learning are the key enablers for innovation adoption and form the foundation for effectively executing digital strategies .
If one takes a look at what makes businesses successful in today ’ s era , it is their ability to continuously disrupt . If you are able to create an innovative , collaborative and engaged workforce you will hereby build a resilient culture that will
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IN THIS EVER-CHANGING SITUATION , IT IS KEY TO MAKE ENABLEMENT A STRATEGIC PILLAR FOR ANY ORGANISATION WITH A CONTINUOUS PROCESS IN PLACE .
help to proactively respond to potential disruptions . It will take time to build and foster this culture , but it ’ s not mission impossible and the impact is enormous . I am a firm believer that people are at the heart of Digital Transformation and empowering your workforce on innovation methodologies such as design thinking or business model innovation builds the foundation for an innovation culture and mindsets across your organisation .
The Fourth Industrial Revolution brings major disruptions to labour markets and new categories of jobs are emerging , partly or wholly displacing others . Who would have thought five years ago that there will be the role of a chief happiness officer or a chief purpose officer ? The skill sets required in both old and new professions are continuously changing in most industries . The COVID-19 pandemic further highlights the necessity to accelerate digital skill building in an increasingly digital world .
It does no longer matter which line of business , industry , role we are in or which interests we have . Every employee needs reskilling or upskilling – not just today but in an ongoing manner .
In this ever-changing situation , it is key to make enablement a strategic pillar for any organisation with a continuous process in place . Only then is an organisation able to predict future resource demands to up-skill ahead of the actual demand and focus on the right mix of skills . There is no one-sizefits-all when it comes to an organisation ’ s enablement strategy .
Today we see the so called ‘ digital skills gap ’ increasing considerably and posing a major threat for organisations of all kinds and sizes . When we talk about the digital skills gap , there are two angles . The first and possibly most pressing factor is the lack of digital skills amongst the existing workforce , which is a problem particularly in developed economies . The second factor is the lack of properly trained graduates to fill jobs in growing technological and related industries .
As a provider of enterprise application software , SAP through various strategies , tools and platform supports companies to enable their workforces , implementation teams and organisations , graduates , students in the skills and certifications required in the relevant platforms and domains of cloud computing , data science , software engineering and cybersecurity .
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