Of course agree with your points as well, Certification is important, especially for entry level consultants, quite hard to break in these days without some certification of sorts

I just gained my experience the old fashioned way, worked my way up, guess this does not apply to every consultant as the opportunities for SAP experience is far and between

I equally know the likes of accenture and some other big consultancies insist on certification, i will possible take it one day, just dont have the time now, i have done so much in house training that gives me an ''on the job skill'' others will die for , even for certain implementations i have taken part in, sometimes it is required that you take a series of tests to show your suitability for the roles

But like i said, with the ERP, seems SAP are heading into a new direction when other core skills will be needed rather than configuration skills amongst other things, surely you must have noticed this as well

As you pointed out, still suprised some people have not chosen SAP as a career, i guess its a difficult career to break into but getting the certification is surely one proven method of getting a foot in

may i add i take no personal offence if anyone does not agree with me, end of the day, we are here to share ideas and what worked for me might not necessarily work for you

but it seems there is a general consensus that at entry level in to SAP, a certificate might be required unless you get lucky and your company decides to invest in you with regards to training and what not

so far it has been an interesting career for me though, SAP has allowed to travel to places like China through work to perform some training, dont think i will swap my career for anything until the next better ERP system comes out

ao large is the ECC simulation for BASIS and its systems requirements.

Nwamo,

In my opinion Plant Mainteinance seems to be something that could fit based on your background. But it will do you a lot of favour to actually have a general overview of all the modules to check which would appeal tou most. I have a pal who read Law and is a SD Consultant i.e its not sacrosant you pick on PM as it might not even being used in your company so you may not be able to practise with.


For those that possess the SAP gui on their PCs, my candid advice is that you DONT commence your self training with config- you are better off getting hold of test scripts to practise with to have an understanding of the business processes as a prerequisite. Starting with config will be like putting the cat before the horse, its like trying to build a kitchen without knowing what kitchen implemets are used for

A good SAP Consultant (Functional) has to have the mind of an engineer, inquisitiness of a toddler or scientist ,think and imagine like a designer, diagnostic capabilities like a GP/doctor, corrective abilities like a surgoen and pleasant as a nurse/customer service. The reason is because each of those are required at different phases of an ERP lifecycle which I illustrated below using ASAP methodology

Markos, I have just come off a contract with a top UK GSM/Telecom company and like you rightly mentioned people could be lucky to have their company pay for their training. However, in this company (like many other companies in the UK) the employee must be certified before he/she could attain promotion. This is fast becoming the practice in the UK terrain.

Just like Markos mentioned, SAP jobs could take you places you can only imagine and sit with Directors of big glogal companies as co-stakeholders in an implementaton, I have just had a count and realized that SAP jobs has taken me through 21 countries in all corners of the world (apart from Australia/NewZealand, which is probably next to Pluto ). I even had had meetings with some people that regularly make the Forbes 500 list. The opportunities are limitless, impossible in nothing.

I just hope more Nigerians would have similar drive and opportunities and that more Nigerian companies come to appreciate how SAP/ERPs can transform the fortunes of their establishments. My dream is to practice my job in Nigeria and get equally rewarded just like Im overseas

Absolutely, imagine last year, i was in Beijing doing a hand over to our SAP 3rd line support team, in front of class of 15, many who never seen a black man before haha, was quite interesting, gave me a good feeling though must say, worked at diffrent companies where they value your input, sitting with project managers to work out costs of an SAP mini implementation ( we talking millions of pounds here)

Its hard work though, eventhough i did not come through the certification route, i can certainly hold my own in the SAP world, the ERP industry is ever evolving, new processes are implemented by SAP to stay on top of the ERP game, there is so much to learn, can remember from the day of SAP version 3.1, 4.0, 4.6, 4.7, ECC5, now ECC6, MySAP ERP, SCM, HR,SRM,CRM, the world of SAP is so much to take in

when i started, i went through modules FI CO SD MM bits of HR, SRM, i just wanted to find a module i was comfortable with, now i specialise in SD MM

I have introduced a few of my friends to SAP and now it seems they have rewarding careers, quite suprised many Nigerians dont look into the SAP world but i guess to make in roads, you need years of dedication and what not

All,

Let me start by appreciating all of you that have make meaningful contributions on this post. Its quite encouraging.My special thanks to "kiwi992" .I love you! You have indeed shown that you're truely a good Nigerian.

I'm much interested in a training that'll set me apart, make me a sought-after and also contribute to the business environment in Nigeria by lending my either God-Giving or acquired skills.Having read ALL the post on this thread; I beleive I have come to meet my much desired course for the coming year(2009)-SAP

I am a chartered accountant here in Nigeria and also a finalist of ACCA exams. I have honed my experience in accountancy and have done several consulting in Business Process Consulting-designing process narratives/map for finance/accounting department and lots of accounting /audit work.Based on various advice I have read from Kiwi992 especially, I believe SAP FICO and probably the SAP SOX(because I love instituting internal controls) will do for me.

My concern is in the cost of this programme and I'm an"IT novice" to decode those coded link given by our dear friend,kiwi992. I need help,someone should please help me on the way forward,

Many Thanks!

Regards,

GraphMoney

Hi Graph,


Thanks for your comments.

I can't see who else I could help, if not my fellow-Nigerians.  Afterall, we are one.  Moreover, selfishness gets no-one anywhere because the one can never do everything by the one's self.  I wish our bloody thieving politicians could adopt this attitude and serve our country selflessly without lining up their own pockets and getting away with it. 

I'll be more than happy to help you but I really do NOT wish to post the link here for the general public to see, hence coded it in the first place.  As you know, not everyone in this Forum is a Nigerian.

Just get a Yahoo e-mail address (but definitely not your real one) and leave it for me here.  I'll definitely send it to you.  Please do not use your real name. 

Actually, I wish the Site Administrator (Seun) would add a PM facility on this website so that people could use it, especially in times like this.  Seun, could you please do that?



kiwi992.

NB:

By the way, in place of Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), SAP now offers a new module - GRC - Solutions for Governance, Risk and Compliance and it is really hot because it encompasses everything about corporate governance, controls and so on.  It would suit people like you with a specialism in Auditing.  So, please look-out for it.

Good day kiwi992,

Many thanks for prompt response to my post.It further shows and prove on how much you care for your fellow Nigerian. Its a great lesson to all even to me!

As adviced,my email address is:graphmoney@yahoo.com.

And about the new module,GRC, this is fantastic(all encompassing!) It sure suit me together with the FICO.

Once again, a BIG thank you while I await the information I need to kick-start my SAP career.

Regards,

GraphMoney

Hi Graph,


Done!



kiwi992.

I have worked with Sarbanes oxley at some implementation in 2004, most companies these days need to be Sox complaint

Dear kiwi992,

Thanks, but I can't find the info in my Inbox;I have also checked the Trash n the Spam.

I'll appreciate you resending the info.

Many Thanks!

Rgrds,

GraphMoney
graphmoney@yahoo.com

Hi Graph,


The e-mail should read from 'Peter Harrison'.  It was definitely sent successfully.  Do come back and let me know and I'll be too happy to re-send it.

By the way, when you access the second link, ensure you click on the 'free' box, (the one on the left) and then wait for a few seconds until it counts down to zero (0) seconds then download.


kiwi992.

NB: 

That name above is just a pseudo name.  I answer to a Kalabari surname.

Dear Kiwi992,

Thanks, but I can't still find the info in my email address(graphmoney@yahoo.com). Please, do resend it,

Many thanks.

Brgrds,

GraphMoney

Hi Graph,


I've just re-sent it.

Actually, it was my fault. I inadvertently sent it to graphmone@yahoo.com. A typo - the 'y' having been left out! Sorry about that.



kiwi992.

Dear Kiwi992,

How do i unlock a passoworded SAP software.

thanx.

Hello kiwi992,

I'm just short of words, Hmnnn! You're a great man.Many thanks. I saw it !!.I'm taking my time to seriously look into it.Thank you & God bless.

Kind Regards,

GraphMoney

Hi Graph,


No probs. You are most welcome. Do make good use of it.


kiwi992.

Briz,


I'm most sorry but I can't help you there because I am NOT a cracker.  Maybe you should look into using brute force password crackers to break the password if you've already got the software.

That said, if you are talking about my coded links in this thread, I'm afraid, you'll have to use your resourcefulness to de-code the links, just like others have done. 

Sorry mate.



kiwi992.

Hi Kiwi & Markos

You guys are invaluable to the progress of our IT in Nigeria. thanks a million.
what edge has NetWare over ABAP ?
please can you send some materials i would need as well to me. am coming from the programming background and i would love things to install and practice with from Netweaver's side. i.e software et al.


Thanks

Hi Mishooo,


Do check your mail box. 


kiwi992.

kiwi992:

Hi Mishooo,
Do check your mail box. 
kiwi992.

Hey Kiwi. Got ur mail. i already got the code the very first time. i just thot you have more recent document to share as am restricted in my bandwidth and i do the download at a slow pace and one after the other. Thanx so much.

mishooo:

Hi Kiwi & Markos

You guys are invaluable to the progress of our IT in Nigeria. thanks a million.
what edge has NetWare over ABAP ?
please can you send some materials i would need as well to me. am coming from the programming background and i would love things to install and practice with from Netweaver's side. i.e software et al.


Thanks

Pls see the bolded part of my question.

Hi Mishooo,



First of all, you should have had the simple courtesy to come here to say 'thanks' because the link was sent to you since yesterday morning.

Instead of doing that, you just kept quiet about it and then came back here, pretending that I hadn't obliged your request and asking more questions, hoping that I would answer you.  That's pure bad manners, if you ask me.

Whatever you do, please try not to take advantage of my kind nature because I would simply stop helping everybody, Nigerian or not.  Tell you the truth, I don't think that anybody would have been forthcoming in wanting to help other fellow-Nigerians in this Forum, as I have been doing.  Perhaps you think I'm daft because I'm not selling those material to you lot. 

Secondly, everything you need is there for you.  Everything!  You just need to know what you want and go about looking for it the right way. 

Thirdly, you should do your own research, as well as reading the posts on this thread and not keep asking and asking.  You ought to have known, by reading my previous posts on this thread, that Novel NetWare is dead.  It's been dead for many, many years.  Novel even had to sell off their office equipment that many years ago because nobody wanted that damn product of theirs which was killed off by Windows NT. 

If you think it's hard to get hold of training material or whatever, you would soon realise that it is indeed far, far more difficult to train for, and pass those Consultancy certification exams.

The rest is up to you.



kiwi992.

Hello kiwi992,

Once again thank you for all your assistance thus far. As I have said, SAP Consultancy Certification Exams is a CORE of my career development,come 2009;as such I wouldn't want any opportunity relating to it pass me by.

I have painstakingly downloaded most of the materials(on the link you sent me)and I'll continue doing that for updates.

Just like you have previously adviced on this thread, I would like to personally implement SAP (R/3) on my PC(although, I acknowledge my low IT skills,sincerely beleive I can do it).Please,kindly help on the SAP training software(IDES ECC 6.0)-since this is what I'll need to do the practical training.

Warm Regards,

GraphMoney.

NB:
Fellow Nigerians,we all need to learn appreciating people especially those that meant well for us.Our "over-smartness" in this country is an ill wind that blow no one any good!

yea rite!!!


appreciate

kiwi992:

Hi Mishooo,



First of all, you should have had the simple courtesy to come here to say 'thanks' because the link was sent to you since yesterday morning.

Instead of doing that, you just kept quiet about it and then came back here, pretending that I hadn't obliged your request and asking more questions, hoping that I would answer you.  That's pure bad manners, if you ask me.


kiwi992. 

Hello Kiwi
First of all lemme restate my gratitude to you and other folks for hwat you are doin and i think the first statement i said on this forum can be categorised as an appreciation.

mishooo:

Hi Kiwi & Markos

You guys are invaluable to the progress of our IT in Nigeria. thanks a million.

Thanks

I did not know the mail you sent to graphmoney is about the link and just like you advised, i didnt use my active e-mail, so i didnt check the mail till this morning. I am not trying to show any 'over-smartness' as some people refer to it and am not even one given to such frivolities.

link=topic=149807.msg3179909#msg3179909 date=1228394784]
NB:
Fellow Nigerians,we all need to learn appreciating people especially those that meant well for us.Our "over-smartness" in this country is an ill wind that blow no one any good!
[/quote]

Sorry if i offended your sense of generosity (though i think you are very edgy sometimes ) and i do not mean to ruffle any feathers neither do i think you are daft as you mentioned.

[quote author=kiwi992:


Whatever you do, please try not to take advantage of my kind nature because I would simply stop helping everybody, Nigerian or not.  Tell you the truth, I don't think that anybody would have been forthcoming in wanting to help other fellow-Nigerians in this Forum, as I have been doing.  Perhaps you think I'm daft because I'm not selling those material to you lot. 

kiwi992:



Thirdly, you should do your own research, as well as reading the posts on this thread and not keep asking and asking.  You ought to have known, by reading my previous posts on this thread, that Novel NetWare is dead.  It's been dead for many, many years.  Novel even had to sell off their office equipment that many years ago because nobody wanted that damn product of theirs which was killed off by Windows NT. 

If you think it's hard to get hold of training material or whatever, you would soon realise that it is indeed far, far more difficult to train for, and pass those Consultancy certification exams.

The rest is up to you.

Yea, thanks for the advice. have been doing my research and will continue doing it. No harms meant. Once again, thanks for your time.

God bless.

_{Signing outta here,}

better!!!

deAr All,

Please i'll need someone to lemme with unlocking the password of SAP R/3 software


thanx.

Hi Briz,


Are you talking about the coded link that I gave out? If so, just drop your e-mail address here and I'll see what I can do for you.

Other than that, I don't know which password you are talking about. Sorry.



kiwi992.

Hi Graph,


You said:

Just like you have previously adviced on this thread, I would like to personally implement SAP (R/3) on my PC(although, I acknowledge my low IT skills,sincerely beleive I can do it).Please,kindly help on the SAP training software(IDES ECC 6.0)-since this is what I'll need to do the practical training.

Everything that you need is in that link.  I mean everything!     

I think that you guys need to form a study group - as there are quite a few of you in this Forum that are very much interested in achieving the SAP Consultancy Certification.  Please go through the postings here and you'll see them - Raheem and Shawn are two people that come to mind. I'm sure there are many others.

Just ask them to come in here and sign up for an SAP Study Group.



kiwi992.

Hi kiwi,

Since you said anything i need is in that link, u can send the link to me.

my mail id. is tosinadny@yahoo.com

I have the s/w but it requires a password to access it.

Lemme see if d link has the solution to my problem. Pl, do send it to my mailbox.

Yea. i think we nid a study group. who starts it up. Raheem, Shawn, are u there.


thanx.



---Tousen

Hi Briz,


Done.


kiwi992.