The following article was authored by Carolyn Szczurek, Communications Lead at ASUG.
As the SAP ecosystem evolves, with organizations migrating to the cloud, embracing SAP S/4HANA, and preparing to leverage cutting-edge technologies like AI, empowering the new generation of SAP professionals has never been more important.
All over the country, universities are hard at work empowering and educating students to enter the SAP ecosystem and become the enterprise-technology professionals of tomorrow. I recently had the opportunity to attend the Central Michigan University (CMU) ERPsim Invitational Competition, where I witnessed these efforts firsthand.
An immersive business simulation game that leverages SAP software, ERPsim is designed to help students and professionals learn more about ERP systems and their implementation, focusing on how these enterprise solutions enable business strategy. Within the game, participants form teams and manage a virtual company in the German cereal market, making strategic decisions around demand forecasting, procurement, manufacturing, marketing, pricing, and financial management. Each team starts with an $8 million loan and must balance investments, production capacity, and debt management to achieve the highest corporate valuation.
For the competition, 40 teams split into two flights, with each game consisting of four rounds of 20 simulated days, in which each day lasted just 60 seconds. The top teams from each flight advanced to the championship round, where scholarships were awarded to the highest-ranking teams.
Engaging the Next Generation of SAP Professionals
Attending the event provided an excellent opportunity to engage with students, faculty, and industry professionals—including mentors and coaches—who were there to support each competing team. It was a great platform to introduce ASUG to a new audience and highlight the value of ASUG membership.
During the event, sharing key insights from the 2025 ASUG Pulse of the SAP Customer Research, it became clear that companies are increasingly focused on the skills gaps they face in today’s evolving SAP landscape. ASUG's research confirms organizations are struggling to keep up with emerging technologies, with 23% citing challenges in maintaining knowledgeable staff and 35% struggling with internal skills to manage new projects. These findings underscore that students studying SAP are in the right place at the right time, as demand for their expertise continues to grow. (Stay tuned to ASUG First Five for the full results of this year's ASUG Pulse of the SAP Customer Research.)
So, which skill sets are most critical for organizations? ASUG research highlights that top priorities for members include SAP S/4HANA, as well as gaining expertise in business process management, integration and APIs, data science and analytics, and cybersecurity. One professor at the event reinforced this outlook by sharing his advice to students: complement an SAP ERP degree with a secondary focus, such as data analytics or cybersecurity, to enhance job prospects after graduation.
I also discussed key focus areas for organizations—including SAP S/4HANA, integration, standardization, and automation—as well as the technologies driving digital transformation, such as data analytics, cloud, AI/ML, and automation. Understanding these trends can help students and universities align their curricula with the evolving needs of the SAP job market.
What Makes a Great SAP Professional?
To make the session interactive, I asked attendees to share a skill that every SAP professional should have. I posed the same question earlier this month at the ASUG New England Chapter Meeting and was curious to compare responses. Common themes across both groups included communication, patience, and analytical thinking, but CMU students also highlighted more technical skills like ABAP, business requirements understanding, and attention to detail.
To further engage students, I asked them: if you could ask an SAP professional one question about their career, what would it be? Here is what they wanted to know:
- What do you wish you knew before starting your career in SAP?
- What’s the best advice for someone looking to work with SAP?
- What certifications or courses should students focus on to secure an entry-level position?
- How do you navigate the complexity of SAP?
It was exciting to see students actively posing these questions to mentors and team coaches throughout the event. Beyond the competition itself, ERPsim provided an incredible opportunity for students to develop their SAP knowledge and gain insights that will help them stand out when applying for jobs.
Beyond the Competition: Career Development and Hiring
While the competition was intense, it was clear that students were equally focused on networking and career opportunities. Two recurring queries were “how to land an SAP job as an entry-level candidate” and “what companies prioritize when hiring graduates from SAP-focused programs.”
This made the keynote by Ray Russ, Director at ABeam Consulting, particularly impactful. He not only addressed these career concerns but also demonstrated his commitment to hiring talent—last year, Russ hired three students on the spot at this very event!
Attracting 230 students and 65 industry professionals from 22 firms, the CMU ERPsim Invitational was a remarkable event. A lot of credit goes to Vishal Shah, Associate Professor at CMU, and his team for orchestrating such an impressive competition. The level of engagement, learning, and networking that took place in just one day (plus a networking event the night before) was phenomenal.
I look forward to attending more of these competitions in the future, and engaging with the next generation of SAP professionals!
Carolyn Szczurek is Communications Lead at ASUG.