How a Trainee Program Can Solve the IT Skills Shortage

18.04.2019

Topic: SAP | xSuite Group | Skills Shortage

The skills shortage is a huge concern in the IT sector. Needless to say, for me as a recruiter, it is a particularly pressing problem. A true paradigm shift has taken place, as at present, potential candidates* can very often pick and choose from employers.

Everyone is talking about the skills shortage, but no one is doing anything about it

As a result, recruitment has become more challenging than ever, yet organizations still expect to find the perfect candidates by simply posting a job vacancy. Given this mindset—a mindset that is particularly unproductive for SMEs— it is no wonder that many vacancies remain unfilled. Yet candidates who are genuinely interested in a job but lack extensive experience are not being given a chance. Instead, organizations choose to continue waiting for Mr. or Ms. Perfect to walk in the door.

Our approach

As an international software company and SAP Silver Partner, we recognize the flaws in the approach described above. We prefer to offer young, committed, and talented candidates the opportunity to gain a foothold in the digital environment by completing our training programs. Digitization is the future, and rather than eliminating jobs, it creates them. That is why in-house training is crucial.

Our new “baby” is our Trainee Campus, which trains participants to become SAP Consultants— a varied and high-paying career, and, according to golem.de, “the coolest job after tourism manager and beer brewer.”

Potential is what really counts

If you feel demotivated because so many organizations seem to have unrealistically high expectations of candidates, don’t give up just yet. As I mentioned above, these organizations are pursuing the wrong approach. For us, it doesn’t matter whether you already have a university degree or vocational training behind you as long as you have expertise in business processes and a flair for IT. What matters to us is team spirit and the potential to make a difference.

Knowledge transfer

So how do we turn candidates with little professional experience into TOP consultants?
Twenty-five years of business experience means twenty-five years of knowledge. With this knowledge and great attention to detail, we have developed the Trainee Campus program. Our trainees’ mentor and “Jedi Master” has been working as a consultant for the the company for twenty-three years now. He knows how best to share all the knowledge he has gathered in order to give career starters and career changers a real chance of a successful future within the SAP industry. Our ACADEMY and external trainers provide additional input and support. This means that after just a few months, participants can get involved in exciting projects at national and then international levels.

We love being based in Ahrensburg—but our motto is, “Think global.”

Yes, you read right. Even if you are a young career starter, you will have the opportunity to take part in our international projects. If you did not have the chance to work and travel abroad after you left school, don’t worry: you can do it with us. For those who complete our trainee program, there are opportunities to spend time working for one of our international subsidiaries in countries such as the US or Singapore. And if you would rather not travel quite so far, you can work in European cities such as Maastricht or Copenhagen. We have a great deal to offer as an employer, and we are committed to continually upskilling our employees and ensuring that doors remain open to all of them.

The situation today

Our first trainees have almost completed the program. They are now fully integrated into our project team and are independently managing important projects for major clients. Very few of our trainees had prior experience in programming and SAP, yet now we have found our perfect candidates while other organizations are still searching for them.

It just goes to show: It pays to train.

More information about the worldwide career opportunities you will find here. Till next time!

 *The personal and job designations used in this blog post cover all sexes. The undifferentiated designations serve only the better legibility of the text.