Due to technological advances, the world of work is changing rapidly around the world. The demand for new qualifications is therefore increasing sharply. According to a recent McKinsey survey Executives see an urgent need not only for extensive IT and data analysis skills, but also for critical thinking and creativity – skills that are currently in short supply.

Educational institutions are at the forefront of addressing this challenge. They are tasked with equipping learners with the skills and knowledge needed in a digital-first economy. With this in mind, SAP University Alliances and HEC Montréal have something in common Business Builders developed. The innovative learning platform relies on playful learning and is intended to improve the analysis and decision-making skills of students with SAP Analytics Cloud.

Introducing Business Builders: A playful approach to making teenagers and young adults fit for the future

Business Builders is designed to help learners acquire these in-demand skills in a practical and fun way. Using real business questions generated in SAP Analytics Cloud, students can learn to visualize data, get meaningful information, and make evidence-based decisions in real time.

Business Builders is used by educators in over 70 countries and is available to them and students free of charge. The tool can be used for any course – be it business, STEM or interdisciplinary courses.

By combining gameplay and professional tools, Business Builders helps address several key education pain points:

• It can make data and analytics more tangible and relevant.
• It promotes analytical thinking, data storytelling and digital literacy.
• It can be tailored directly to the needs of tomorrow’s workforce.

Whether teenagers or young adults want to pursue a career in consulting, supply chain, product management, marketing, sustainability or HR, Business Builders can offer them the opportunity to engage with these topics and gain in-demand skills and knowledge.

Two new scenarios for a wider audience

Based on the success of the three existing scenarios, SAP and HEC Montréal are now introducing two brand new games aimed at younger learners: The Agent and The Maple Heir. These scenarios make Business Builders more inclusive, more scalable and suitable for students aged 15 and over as well as first-year students. It is important that no previous knowledge of SAP tools is required. This means teachers and their students can get started straight away.

The Agent is an easy-to-use sports management scenario. Learners can take on the role of sports agents and make decisions. By asking real sporting questions, you can develop basic analytical knowledge using intuitive dashboards in SAP Analytics Cloud. They answer questions like: Which player has improved the most? How can a team optimize its performance? Which sport has the most followers on social media on average? How much is the player worth? With the game you can deal with the topic of analyzes in an entertaining, comprehensible and tangible way – without having to have any previous knowledge of SAP.

The Maple Heir, on the other hand, is a scenario that teaches teenagers and young adults the basics of business management. The story is that they inherited a company in Quebec, Canada, that produces maple syrup. Students take on the role of a new owner who wants to understand and optimize the company’s operations, financial health and growth potential. From analyzing profit and loss statements and profitability ratios to production and human resources management, you can gain practical experience with strategic business decisions. The scenario also covers real-world challenges such as seasonal demand fluctuations and expansion opportunities. By visualizing data and presenting meaningful information with the SAP Analytics Cloud, teenagers and young adults can learn fundamental concepts in the areas of management, finance and business administration in a playful and tangible way.

Both scenarios were also developed with teachers in mind: They can be easily integrated into existing curricula and are supplemented by ready-made teaching materials. Whether in business, IT or interdisciplinary courses – they offer an appealing method of consolidating what you have learned.

Support teachers in shaping the future

By introducing these two new scenarios, SAP is demonstrating its commitment to supporting educational institutions in training the workforce of tomorrow. Business Builders brings analytics tools, critical thinking, and business software to teens and young adults. This helps them to be better prepared for internships, their first jobs or even their long-term career path.

In a world increasingly driven by AI and data, it’s not just about being able to code or use a tool. It is also important to be able to think critically, communicate clearly, and grasp and understand complex information. With Business Builders, teachers can prepare their students for this.

If you are a teacher and want to optimize your teaching with innovative, practical learning tools, find out more here Business Builders or take part in one of our virtual roadshows Join us to experience the tool live and hear from other teachers about how they use the tool.

Thorsten Haas is part of SAP University Alliances.