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JA Europe and SAP partner to boost work readiness of Europe’s youth

In order to empower Europe’s future workforce, SAP and JA Europe announce a new partnership aimed at inspiring more than 9000 students aged 15-24 years in 8 countries across Europe.

The two organisations share a joint vision for a future where all young people have the skillset and mindset to build thriving communities, and a belief that STEM and entrepreneurship skills play a key role in making the next generation work-ready for the global economy.

Innovative hands-on learning experiences will combine SAP's technological expertise and JA Europe's experience in youth entrepreneurship and education in order for students to gain practical skills and explore entrepreneurship as a viable career path.

Salvatore Nigro, CEO JA Europe, commented: “It is urgent not only to educate Europe’s youth, but to ensure their integration to the world of work once they graduate. Through this collaboration with SAP, we aim to open the career opportunities as wide as possible by fostering entrepreneurship, financial literacy and STEM skills of students to make them work-ready. As the work readiness requires a broad skillset, we are convinced that the learning experiences we design with SAP will equip Europe’s youth with the right skills to embrace the opportunities of the digital and green economies while ensuring a positive societal impact.”

Diana Filip, Deputy CEO and Chief Development Officer of JA Europe added: “We are thrilled to embark on this new journey alongside SAP, as we join forces to empower Europe's youth. The true strength of partnerships lies in shared values and a unified vision, and together, we are embarking on a project that holds immense potential in fostering work readiness among young Europeans for a brighter future."

Together, we expect to reach a total of 9,377 young Europeans in the current 2023-2024 school year, with the support of 259 SAP volunteers accompanying the learning journey.

“At SAP, we believe that today's environmental and social challenges are profoundly interconnected and must be viewed holistically,” said Claire Gillissen-Duval, CSR Senior Director EMEA & MEE at SAP.

“JA Europe is the leading organisation and part of JA Worldwide’s global network delivering hands-on, experiential learning in entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial health for the youth. JA’s series of events serve as a catalyst for change, providing a platform to empower young entrepreneurs to overcome adversity - which drive long-term impact and create equitable access to economic opportunity, education & employment.”

"Together with Junior Achievement, our future is certainly in the right hands” concluded Gillissen.

About JA Europe

JA Europe is the largest and leading organisation in Europe dedicated to inspire and prepare young people to succeed. For over 100 years, JA Worldwide has delivered hands-on, experiential learning in entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial health. In the last school year, the JA Europe network provided over 6.6 million learning experiences for youth in online, in person and blended formats.

About SAP

SAP is a market share leader in enterprise applications software, enterprise resource management applications, supply chain management applications, procurement applications software, travel and expense management software, and ERP software according to IDC. SAP is committed to enabling every organization & every industry to become a network of intelligent, sustainable enterprises – bringing together the solutions, technology and best practices needed to run integrated, AI-powered business processes in the cloud. With a global network of customers, partners, employees, and thought leaders, SAP helps the world run better and improves people’s lives. Global developments, such as climate change, poverty, and increasing inequality, are serious issues that all stakeholders in the worldwide economy must face.

At SAP, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is part of SAP´s holistic sustainability framework. SAP puts its purpose into action by helping the world run better and improving people’s lives with sustainability at the core. The SAP Corporate Social Responsibility (SAP CSR) team focuses on three pillars: accelerating social business, building future skills, and collaborating for sustainability. The partnership between SAP and JA Europe is rooted in their shared goals and complementary areas of focus. Both organizations recognize the importance of collaborating for shaping the future workforce. They understand that equipping young people with entrepreneurial mindset is crucial for their success.

Press and media contact at JA Europe: Minna Melleri, Chief of Advocacy and Growth (minna@jaeurope.org)