Aim/PurposeHigher education institutions can partner with technology companies to reduce software costs and offer students training on specific products. This practice is increasingly popular, as resources are often tight for higher education organizations. SAP and other enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are a prime example, as there is value in students gaining experience with specific software. However, exposure and experience in software are only a small part of what a student needs to succeed. This research aims to evaluate the skills and attributes needed to make students more marketable as they pursue a more technology-specific path. While general market research has been conducted on degree programs, little has been done specifically on ERP-related degrees or concentrations, prompting a call for further research in the area. This study examines ERP-related positions that require SAP, evaluates job postings for technical and soft-skill requirements, and assesses the prevalence of certifications and specific software requirements to answer the following research questions. RQ1: What technical skills related to the information systems (IS) curriculum are required in ERP-related jobs? RQ2: What soft skills are required within ERP-related jobs? RQ3: Are there specific certifications or software knowledge that students should pursue to be more marketable?

BackgroundSAP touches nearly 80% of all transactions, making it a valuable software in the industry. This paper examines job postings on Handshake.com that list SAP software and are located in the southeastern United States to determine which skills and technologies should be included in the curriculum for students pursuing careers at firms that use an ERP system.

MethodologyTo evaluate job market needs in the Southeastern United States, job postings on the career placement website Handshake that were advertised in the Southeastern states and mentioned SAP were selected. The postings were evaluated for duplicates, yielding 139 viable job postings. The job postings were then evaluated using qualitative content analysis by at least 2 scorers to determine whether they required specific skills and attributes. The skill requirements in the job postings are then evaluated quantitatively using frequency counts and percentages.

ContributionThis paper seeks to improve curriculum development by describing the skills required in ERP-related job postings. The analysis also outlines a methodology for evaluating skill requirements for a specific technology when creating a certification with a technology partner, such as SAP.

FindingsThe study found that more than 50% of organizations specify in their job postings that they require various soft skills. The ability to perform analytics (60%) and design tasks (50%) was also in high demand. Organizations specifically list knowledge of Excel or spreadsheets as a requirement 59% of the time. The ERP-specific technology or certifications were not commonly listed; however, modules were mentioned for specific job roles.

Recommendations for PractitionersERP concentration courses should include analytics and promote an understanding of the processes and process improvement. Project-based experiential learning (PBL) and team-based learning (TBL) would be appropriate to improve soft skills. Industry partners should not only provide technological support to higher education but also help establish a community that fosters networking and more PBL opportunities to promote soft skills. As higher education institutions seek to manage their resources by aligning with technology companies, research is needed to ensure that the alliance makes students marketable and their education sufficiently general in the event of technology shifts.

Recommendation for ResearchersResearchers need to expand their evaluation of curriculum design to better align career paths with the skills covered in the classroom.

Impact on SocietyHigher education has a responsibility to help students to realize their goals and to become valuable members of society. Helping to align other aspects of curricula and pedagogy with specific technology and career paths is important as students enter a competitive job market. If higher education is to survive as an institution, more work is needed to ensure that its value aligns with industry needs. By evaluating the needs for SAP positions, we provide evidence of the skills the curriculum should develop. This will help align higher education with career aspirations and encourage student success in meeting the workplace demands.

Future ResearchFuture research should automate the process and expand to examine other technologies or certification concepts. More research is needed to determine whether asynchronous learning can develop soft skills in ERP courses, since many simulations are designed to foster teamwork in synchronous environments.