In the first podcast in the JonERP.com "All About SAP Training" series, Jon Reed asks Tom Michael of Michael Management about the state of SAP training and the range of training and certification options available to SAP professionals.

The podcast begins with an overview of Tom Michael's background and his role with Michael Management's SAP training and consulting practice. In addition to Michael Management's consulting work in Asset Management, Project Systems, Investment Management, and related areas, Michael Management has become one of the largest online SAP training sites today. As Tom explains, this was an organic process where clients asked Michael Management about the training side of their implementations and Michael Management began rolling out more and more online SAP training courses.

In this first podcast in their "All About SAP Training Series," Jon and Tom dive into the hot topic of breaking into SAP. Michael reviews some of the free options available online, such as SAP's own help documentation which covers basic functionality. Then there are useful SAP books that can further the education process on an affordable basis. But documentation can only take you so far, so what are the other options? 

Tom reviews some of the pros and cons of the other SAP training options:

- in-person, on-site SAP training from third parties - can be excellent, but quality of instructors vary.

- online training - much more affordable, but quality of material can vary, and less personalized attention than you can get onsite.

- SAP certification: the formal SAP certification option - high quality training but requires significant investments of money and time.  

The podcast then moves into the other "most-asked" question: the value of SAP certification and whether it can really help you during the job hunt. Tom reviews the new three-tiered certification (Associate, Professional, and Master) and also shares the latest pricing ($7,000 each for two ten day class - $14,000 total). You don't have to take the classes in order to take the certification exam, which costs $500. But if you fail three times, you can't retake the certification exam for six months. SAP has a comprehensive offering, but how much does it help you? Tom says that in the fifteen years of consulting work he has done in SAP, he has had great success and has never been asked by any of his consulting clients if he is certified. Certification can give you an edge if it is a toss-up between two equally qualified consultants, but it's important to realize the pros and cons of the investment. 

Jon and Tom move on to related topics:

- The danger of viewing SAP certification as a "get rich quick scheme." 

- The difference between how certification can help an SAP "fresher" versus an experienced consultant.

So, if certification is not a guaranteed way into SAP, what is a better way to approach this? And how do you become a truly marketable SAP consultant? 

Other ways into SAP:

- working as an employee for an SAP end customer.

- get a role in SAP support if you have some light SAP experience.

- get work as an SAP junior consultant if you can find it (it's harder to find junior consulting work these days).  

Jon's key suggestion for "SAP newbies": sell SAP customers on your existing skill set and what you can contribute to a customer site from day one, as opposed to approaching customers and asking them to train you in SAP. Tom riffs on the example of the accountant who adds some SAP online training knowledge, and then reaches out to companies who can use the range of skills acquired.

Tom explains the transition that aspiring SAP professionals can go through as they break into the field: over time, the goal is to move from end-user to "SAP support" or "super-user," and then onto the implementation and SAP configuration team, and then perhaps move into a full-fledged consulting role.

The end of the podcast returns to the theme of the experienced SAP consultant and the contrast between a generalized and specialized SAP skill set. Once you know SAP well, what should you do? Should you be an SAP specialist, or an SAP generalist? Tom Michael has had an excellent career as an SAP specialist. But he knows consultants who have a broad knowledge across many SAP modules who are not as deep for any one area. Tom sees a place for both. He sees higher rates for SAP specialists, but more project opportunities for SAP generalists. 

Tom's recipe for SAP consulting success: keep learning, either broadening or deepening your SAP skills. 

Jon wraps the podcast with an invitation for users to provide comments. If we get feedback below in the comments section, we'll create more topics along the lines of SAP training and certification and "career best practices."