Today, we announced a monumental initiative to upskill 2 million people worldwide by 2025 to further our commitment to creating opportunities through learning and development for all.

In support of this, we launched an expanded digital skills initiative to provide easier access to essential learning resources to underrepresented and underserved groups in technology, as well as a partnership with Coursera, one of the world’s largest online learning providers, to meet learners where they are.

As the skills gap and search for talent within the technology industry become increasingly prominent issues, the World Economic Forum (WEF) predicts that 97 million new jobs will be created by 2025. This has created a sense of urgency for companies to find professionals to fill their ever-growing technical skills needs. However, the number of future tech employees is notoriously limited. Within this small pool, women and minorities are often overlooked. In fact, only 26% of computing-related jobs are held by women, and the number for people of color and underserved populations in the industry drops even lower.

In 2022, the WEF estimated that it will take a staggering 132 years to close the gender gap. Women and other minorities in tech face a variety of barriers that can heavily impact their technical career growth, and these challenges take root early in the form of negative stereotypes. For example, many girls internalize the harmful belief that women are not as strong in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) fields as men – impacting their career choices and confidence in exploring new realms.

At SAP, we believe empowering women and underrepresented individuals to grow in technical fields begins with ensuring they have access to relevant educational resources.