SAP has seen the graduation of its first local Young Professionals Programme (YPP) cohort in Botswana.
The initiative is intended to create a pipeline of certified digital talent to support business transformation across the country and the wider region, says the company.
The inaugural Botswana edition adopted a regional approach, bringing together participants from Botswana, Ghana, and SA. After completing the two-month programme, 33 young professionals graduated as associate consultants.
The World Economic Forum predicts that 39% of core job skills will change by 2030, increasing the need for organisations to access talent with both technical expertise and business acumen.
The sponsored YPP connects unemployed and underemployed graduates with opportunities across the customer and partner network of the enterprise software firm.
The cohort received certifications in End-to-End Business Processes for SAP Business Suite and Generative AI Development. Graduates also completed sessions in SAP Business AI, Clean Core Framework, and general workplace readiness, says SAP.
The Botswana graduation aligns with wider investment in talent development across the continent, including the Educate to Employ initiative held in partnership with UNICEF.
Graduates are transitioning into roles across the ecosystem, with some joining regional partners such as Debswana. These graduates will support the enterprise resource planning (ERP) transformation at the diamond mining firm, including the migration to SAP S/4HANA.
The programme underscores a commitment to developing the skills that organisations need for their technology investments, says Nazia Pillay, managing director for Southern Africa at SAP.
She adds: "By equipping young professionals with both technical and business capabilities, we are helping to build a future-ready workforce that can support innovation and transformation across Africa," says Pillay. As demand for digital skills rises, the YPP is creating a pipeline of talent for customers and partners.
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