HP Middle East has opened in Alkhobar its first Saudi Arabian SAP Competency Center. The facility is one of only 16 HP SAP Competency Centers worldwide. It will operate three streams, HP SAP Training Programs, an HP Solutions Center and an HP Solutions Lab. The entire center will be running at full capacity by March 2004.
The center will provide training opportunities for Saudi nationals to certify as SAP Consultants creating a local pool of SAP competent experts specifically for the Kingdom. When working at full capacity, the center will run 2 courses simultaneously for a maximum of 15 people each at any one time. Depending on the training skill set, these courses will last from between 25 days to 2 months, with local HP and worldwide trainers.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a very important country to HP. We see great potential for technological growth and realize the need for local support from local consultants,” said Mike Smith, GM HP Services Middle East. “We have been looking at ways to help with the development of SAP skill sets for IT consultants, and this center provides the specifics. This joint initiative with ITM, an HP delivery partner, means that we will see the local SAP consultant market burgeon and move from strength to strength.”
The Alkhobar SAP Competency Center will also house a Solutions Lab. The Solutions Lab affords customers an opportunity to see first hand SAP’s latest solutions for several industry verticals, and also the latest SAP ‘bolt-on’ technology inventions created by HP for specific industries.
“HP is at the driving edge for the development of new applications, pushing the boundaries of evolving technologies,” said Mohammad El-Shanti, HP Business Development Manager, ME. “The SAP Competency Center enables us to transfer these key developments to a marketplace eager for growth. HP’s Solutions Lab will bring a fresh approach to the SAP market in Saudi Arabia.”