SAP Thailand and the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA) of Thailand have partnered to provide continuous learning opportunities for local SMEs by enhancing their proficiency with digital technologies and tools.
The Great Resignation’s effect on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) throughout Asia and the Pacific was the subject of a study published earlier this year that revealed some interesting new details. SAP commissioned Dynata to conduct a survey of 1,363 SME owners and decision-makers in eight countries throughout the APJ region for their report titled “Transformational Talent: The Impact of the Great Resignation on Digital Transformation in APJ’s SMEs.” Participating countries include Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, and Thailand.
SAP’s study confirms the reality of the Great Resignation and its current effects on SMEs across APJ. A majority of respondents (40%) believe that staff resignations are higher now than they were a year ago, and almost two-thirds (64%) of SMEs say they are struggling to deal with the fallout from the Great Resignation. According to SAP APJ President Paul Marriott, the Great Resignation is commonly misunderstood as employees leaving their companies to follow their passion. However, he believes that in order to attract top people, organizations also need to offer competitive compensation, a flexible work environment, and a transparent path to growth and development.
“Prioritizing upskilling and career progression, and supporting it with access to the right technology and partners is proven to be a win-win for employees and for SME,” Marriott remarked.
Echoing Marriott’s thoughts, another SAP top executive Atul Tuli — who currently serves as the Managing Director at SAP Indochina — said that SAP’s survey indicate that the shortage of trained skills is the biggest obstacle for businesses in Thailand when it comes to driving development and digital transformation, even more so than cyber security, financial constraints, and a general lack of awareness of digital solutions. He further shared:
“Nurturing talent and advancing digital skills are the cornerstones for empowerment and inclusive growth. SAP has always been committed to supporting the digital agenda in Thailand and this initiative further reinforces our efforts towards enabling digital transformation and sustainable growth.”
Fostering Digital Skills Development with SAP Thailand and DEPA
Reinforcing the German tech giant’s commitment to foster digital skills development in the country, SAP Thailand has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with DEPA in order to launch a new digital learning program for students, working professionals, and business owners who seek to expand their knowledge and expertise in emerging innovations and technological advancements. SAP’s online courses will be used to support the open educational system, and the two entities will work together to better manage open online courses so that they comply with global standards and improve the quality of lifelong learning.
Moreover, SAP has been working with similar organizations to maximize their own resources, from the delivery of integrated technology products and solutions to the sharing of their own talents, in order to boost the youth’s digital capabilities and prepare them for the workforce of tomorrow. Over the past few years, SAP Thailand has honed over 1,200 students’ digital skills through programs like the open SAP online learning platform and the ASEAN Data Science Explorers competition.
“We are excited to partner with Depa to enhance the digital skilling ecosystem in Thailand, build towards a more digital future, and catalyse the next decade of growth and innovation to help the world run better and improve people’s lives,” SAP Indochina MD Tuli said.
Meanwhile, Assistant Professor Dr. Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, President at DEPA shared that since the digital economy in Thailand is expected to expand to 30% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030 (or earlier), their organization has made it a top priority to train Thai business owners to use digital technologies. He said that local entrepreneurs have been rapidly undergoing digital transformation in recent years in response to the rising need for skills related to the use of digital methods and tools.
Commenting on the recently signed MoU with SAP Thailand to foster digital skills development in the country, Dr. Nimmanphatcharin concluded:
“We need committed private sector partnership to ensure young people are learning the skills they will need to thrive. This partnership is crucial to help accelerate our efforts in upskilling and reskilling them to stay relevant in the future workforce.
