ALKHOBAR, 16 August 2005 — In a knowledge-based economy, education is not an expensive luxury. It is the key that unlocks an organization’s potential and opens the door to growth. Education does not end for individuals when a university degree is awarded. In a knowledge-based economy, to acquire new skills and knowledge is a lifelong quest.
Saudi enterprises have long recognized the importance of advanced skill sets. In decades past they often hired consultants to fulfill their requirements when specialized knowledge was required. Then came the drive for Saudization coupled with increasing implementation of sophisticated information technology solutions. While there was a need for advanced skills locally, higher technical education requirements were not generally fulfilled in-Kingdom. The lack of instructors and few certified facilities in Saudi Arabia were at the foundation of this issue. For years scant notice was paid to tackling this problem. Saudi companies simply sent their employees abroad for training -- often at huge cost.
Then came the reality of global terrorism, the SARS epidemic, currency fluctuations and travel restrictions. Saudi companies with installed IT systems relying on overseas trained staff quickly found themselves in trouble. Those enterprises running SAP were among the first to feel the pinch. For Saudi companies, sending staff abroad for SAP training was no longer a reality and there were no SAP training or certification resources in the region. But for those firms with major SAP implementations, it is a necessity to have staff well trained in the functionality of the application or else corporate operations quickly become unmanageable. A crisis loomed.
Corporates running SAP began to hold discussions with service providers in Saudi Arabia about the requirement and gap with regards to quality SAP education in the Middle East region. With the ever growing number of SAP customers in the region there was an urgent need to establish a SAP Academy locally. Naizak decided to step up to the line and make the investment required to create regional SAP training resources.
In August 2004, SAP awarded strategic accredited SAP Authorized Training Partner (ATP) status to Naizak-Genovate in the GCC. Under the agreement Naizak provides the infrastructure and marketing while its partner Genovate provides the training. However, Naizak is not limited to Genovate trainers. The year since SAP ATP status was award to Naizak has been a busy one. Two SAP accredited academies have been set-up and staffed in the GCC; one in Dubai, the other in Alkhobar. And in a major move to reassure the market of Naizak’s continuing commitment, last month a Saudi SAP instructor was hired for the Alkhobar Academy.
“It has been an incredible year for Naizak and our Middle East SAP Academies,” said Charl van Niekerk, VP services, Naizak. “We opened in Alkhobar in February. Our official course schedule is out now and over the last 6 weeks we’ve had over 300 inquiries. In Alkhobar we’re even getting inquiries from outside the Kingdom. In Saudi Arabia the demand for SAP training is specifically very high in the Eastern Province. This is in part due to Saudi Aramco and SABIC using SAP and the presence of the students from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM).”
Initially it was corporate clients who filled the courses with long overdue training and certification for their staff. Now though, individuals have begun to apply for classes. Planning is required however. SAP courses run over days or weeks with full time attendance mandatory. Naizak is also offering individuals the chance for certification without a course requirement. This opportunity is of interest to those individuals who may have had considerable SAP experience on the job. International SAP certification enables individuals to command higher salaries than those for professionals who simply have experience in a SAP environment. This can be especially important for expatriates who can use SAP certification as a stepping stone to better jobs in Saudi Arabia or elsewhere. For 2005 in Alkhobar the remaining SAP open certification exam session dates are Sept. 21 and 22, with other dates after Ramadan. Contact [email protected] for all SAP course and exam details or see the website www.naizak.com. Courses and exams are open to all.
“It should be emphasized that the SAP Academies in Alkhobar and Dubai provide international certification that will be recognized anywhere in the world for working on the ERP solution SAP,” advised van Niekerk. “We are offering specifically at this stage two types of training -- certification training in all internationally available courses and we have short courses where people come and do the training but there is no official exam at the end of the day. The short courses are often orientated to the attendees’ specific working environments.”
While the home base for the SAP Academy in Saudi Arabia is in Alkhobar, Naizak has begun taking SAP courses on the road. One of their classrooms is fully mobile so they can offer courses just about anywhere.
“We use notebook computers in a wireless setting in that classroom and when we need to do a class at a remote site we literally just pack everything up and take it with us wherever the course is to be held,” explained van Niekerk “Businesses have really embraced this concept because staff can come into the office in the morning check e-mail, have a quick meeting and then go to class. There’s no need for a group of people to travel to another location. There’s less disruption to the business operations and at the end of the day the students come away with superior skills. It’s really SAP education without boundaries. Last week we took the complete infrastructure and the instructor to Riyadh where we did a five day course ‘mySAP Financials: Cost Controlling.’”
It would seem that Naizak should be satisfied with what they have achieved but Khalid Al-Abdulkarim, Naizak’s president is already looking ahead. With demand for SAP training surging, Naizak has decided to expand the Alkhobar Academy. Currently this Academy has two classrooms that can accommodate 12 and 15 students respectively, plus a workshop room for 8 people. Construction is under way to add two more classrooms that can be utilized by 15 and nine students respectively, and a small cafeteria for the convenience of the students. The new nine-student classroom will be specially furnished to accommodate those students studying advanced courses and executives who will be taking customized short courses. Under consideration as well is a plan to run some classes at night in Alkhobar. At Naizak’s SAP Academy in Dubai such classes are already on the schedule and with sufficient demand from individuals employed or studying full time in Saudi Arabia, SAP night courses in Alkhobar could soon be available.
Of course such flexible course scheduling is in part possible because Naizak now has two locally hired SAP instructors. One of them, Abdulrahman Garni, is the first Saudi SAP instructor working in the Kingdom’s private sector. A computer science graduate of KFUPM, Garni moved from Hail to work for a petroleum company. After being trained and certified as a SAP ABAP instructor, he is now pleased to be passing on his knowledge to others.
“When I started learning SAP, I never imagined that someday I’d be a SAP trainer but that’s what I am and it’s great,” said Garni. “I’m really dedicated to teaching SAP. In the courses it’s necessary to deliver the information in an excellent way. Students should expect to find a good quality instructor when they take an international SAP course and that is what I am endeavoring to be. I am very patient with my students. People don’t learn when they are nervous or stressed by the instructor. One thing I can do for Arab students is that even though SAP Academy is taught in English, I can give additional explanation in Arabic if required.”
Garni has found that while his SAP certification is important in his role as an instructor, much more is required from him to be an ideal SAP educator.
“I have to always be hard working because I need to prepare for each session in advance,” he commented. “That means reviewing all the material, checking for updates and practicing my presentation. I am usually at work till 7 or 8 o’clock at night before a class. I am constantly reading all the latest documentation so my skills remain fresh. It’s a challenge to stay ahead.”
Despite the long hours, Garni is really pleased with the job he’s doing. He feels that one of the best parts of working as a SAP instructor is being able to pass on what he’s learned to other Saudis who might not have the chance for SAP training if they had to travel abroad.
“This week we have students from KFUPM in our course. They are juniors and are using their summer to become SAP certified. Then they will finish their degrees,” Garni said. “I am sure it will be easier for them to find jobs in the spring because the SAP certification will give them a competitive advantage over their fellow students. A college degree is important and it’s a needed foundation, but the job market in Saudi Arabia can be difficult. Industry certifications are really a must for those individuals who want to land high paying positions immediately out of university. I look forward to sharing my skills with everyone interested in SAP.”
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