Sap Certified - Boosting You Up The Career Ladder

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SAP has become the largest global provider of ERP Certification with over 25,000 individuals achieving certification to date throughout the world. SAP Certification is a flexible and tailored programme which is open to everyone - SAP clients, SAP employees, client employees, independent consultants and partner employees.

The levels of SAP Certification

There are 3 levels of SAP certification which are currently attainable: Associate, Professional and Master.

The Associate Level certifications are basic level programmes which are open to anyone with an interest in pursuing a SAP career. This level develops fundamental SAP and ERP knowledge and entry is open to SAP "freshers" and more experienced individuals.

Professional Level certification is open only to individuals who have proven experience of SAP project implementation and an understanding of ERP software. In-depth SAP knowledge and experience is a crucial requirement to achieving professional level certification.

The Master Level certification is one which is still in development. ...
... Candidates at master level have to demonstrate expert knowledge of SAP implementation and show broad project experience. Testing at this level is a rigorous and lengthy process and candidates are required to demonstrate expertise through formal, practical methods.

SAP has also developed certification programmes for its Business One and Business all-in-one ERP solutions, currently only available to individuals in the UK and Ireland. These levels of certification are of particular benefit for aspiring UK consultants who wish to work with UK SMEs

Does SAP certification ensure a successful career?

SAP's programmes are developed to a very high standard, SAP exams and individuals earn certification by demonstrating exceptional knowledge and abilities. Those consultants and individuals who have achieved professional level certification are seen to be a very elite group, and may well have more rewarding and successful careers than their uncertified counterparts.

As with every career, true success in SAP is only developed through a mixture of direct experience and investment into certification and qualification. Individuals who are already experienced in SAP implementation can certainly improve their career prospects with certification. SAP freshers should be aware however that simply having an associate level certification with no direct implementation or project experience does not instantly equate to a successful career. SAP certification is perhaps most useful to those individuals wishing to pursue a career as an independent consultant. Investing in certification strengthens their marketability in a competitive environment, improving their prospects of finding and maintaining clients.

Choosing the right certification

The most useful and effective certification is one which is matched to an individual's area of expertise rather than current demand. SAP offers certification for every element of its ERP software - CRM, Finance, HR etc - and the most useful choice is sometimes not always clear. Relevant certification should demonstrate on paper an individual's knowledge and experience, in much the same way as a degree or MBA does. If, for example, an individual has a strong background in SAP finance implementation pursuing a certification in SAP Financials would be the most effective decision to improve their career prospects.