My name is Marvin and I am a working student in the Solution Portfolio and GTM Execution team for SAP S/4HANA Suite. I am currently pursuing an MA in International Management at the University of Applied Sciences in Worms.
Joining the team 3 month ago was my first encounter with the IT & Software industry. Until this point SAP as well as the whole IT & software industry were kind of an unexplored world for me.
Over the last 3 months I had the opportunity to take part in different interesting projects. One of them was to support my teammates with building demos and creating content in preparation for SAPPHIRE in June. Another one was the update of the SAP ERP to SAP S/4HANA 1709 comparison presentation, which provides details about changes between the products on a Solution Capability level, such as information about functional changes, changes in user experience and data model.
One of the biggest challenges I had to face so far was getting to know the SAP language, the corporate structure as well as the wide variety of SAP products. Especially, the first couple of days can be overwhelming for someone who is new to the industry like me. The good thing is that you don’t have to figure everything out by your own, because there is always someone who supports you along the way.
Communication and social interactions are the key which provides you with all the information you need for your day-to-day business. This information could be everything from the way to the cafeteria to functionality changes of specific solution capabilities. Especially we “the working students” rely on the social interactions with our colleagues to successfully integrate ourselves into the SAP world.
SAP´s approach regarding the topic communication is really smart, because the way they include communication in everyone´s daily business will lead them to future innovations and more success. I would say that innovative ideas and concepts as well as new products are only a few examples of what communication especially social interactions can create.
Another aspect I really like about working at SAP is the cultural diversity in the workplace. You are not only getting the chance to gain technological know-how and insight into the fast-moving IT & software industry but also the opportunity to learn more about different cultures. Culture is everywhere, whether at work, at leisure or on vacation you are always confronted with it. To prevent misunderstandings and offending people with different cultural backgrounds, learning about culture is indispensable. Working with people from all over the world with different habits, traits as well as a separate way of thinking helps you to improve your cultural awareness and your intercultural communication skills. This helps you to evolve as a person and sets the foundation for an international oriented career.
During the last 12 weeks, I was able to dive into current topics like digitalization and the Cloud. In particular the technological affinity, which is a key feature of my generation, the so-called "Generation Y" or "digital natives", helped me to start comprehend and process the enormous amount of information on this topic within the SAP context. Looking deeper into these topics made me understand the dimension of digitalization and its importance for humankind.
Digitalization is a part of everyone´s life. People start replacing their walk to the supermarket around the corner by online shopping or switch from newspaper to tablet to get access to the daily news. The desire to communicate anywhere, anytime, on any device increases exponentially. If you pay close attention you can see these changes in your social as well as your professional life.
Companies want to especially adapt to the fast pace of digitalization by accessing the Cloud. Therefore Enterprise-Cloud solutions are getting more and more important. These solutions can fulfill the mobility requirements of companies by providing them the possibility to communicate anywhere, anytime, on any device. They are more efficient than a traditional IT landscape and can be modified as desired. They are secure, available all the time and special IT experts are not necessary at all. They are everything companies wish for. That is why more and more companies see the Cloud as a possible solution for the challenges arising from the digital age and I agree on that.
My team showed me that SAP S/4HANA is the next generation of ERP and that Cloud is the future. It will not only fulfill the customer desires but also prepare them for the future. The digital age is in full swing, therefore companies should jump on the fast-paced train called digitalization to further establish themselves in the market.
Even in such a short time (12 weeks), I was able to learn a lot about the vision and mission of SAP as well as the software & IT industry. It is impressive that SAP has the right feel for innovation and knows exactly how to adapt to this fast-moving environment. My time at SAP so far exceeded all my expectations and helped me to evolve as a person. Thanks to my team I was able expand my horizon and learn something for life. I am sure that not every company gives you the opportunity to be part of such an amazing and interesting journey. I am very grateful for the opportunity to work in such an amazing team and look forward to what will come next!
