CMU leads in SAP certification
Nearly 850 of the Fortune 1,000 companies utilize System Applications and Projects software.
Because of Central Michigan University's proficiency with several certifications, the Ford Motor Company recently listed the university as one of 20 premier recruiting institutions.
The SAP certification offered by CMU's College of Business Administration enables students to see how a modern enterprise system functions.
"The purpose of what we’re doing is to get an upper hand to a Central Michigan University student," said Frank Andera, director of the SAP University Alliance Program. "They're going to have knowledge of special technology that companies want them to have."
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Companies like 3M, Dow Corning, Harley-Davidson, Hewlett Packard and IBM recruit at CMU because of the SAP certification.
CMU's SAP University Alliance Program has offered certification to its undergraduate and graduate students since 2000. The SAP certification test, TERP10 is incredibly strict; only 50 percent of students pass worldwide.
Certification is considerably better at CMU. While the goal of the TERP10 is to be intentionally discouraging in order to maintain its exclusivity in the industry, Andera said he wants to get as many students prepared as possible to earn their certification.
The key distinction is that the resources exist to get students the opportunity to succeed if they put in the work, not to spoon feed them.
"For traditional four year institutions like CMU we’re going to be increasingly held accountable for how we add value and how we measure how we add value," said Charles Crespy, dean of the College of Business Administration. "That was what Gov. Snyder is interested in. Those are things he is measuring. I think we are doing a good job of adding value in those areas. As a faculty we are proud of what we do. These are decisions we as a faculty have made not myself as a Dean."
Dow came to the university in 1997 to encourage CMU to partner and help train faculty how to use SAP software.
Andera said it was one of the better moves the university ever made, despite how tough it was to adapt the software to the curriculum.
"It was difficult to encourage people the mission we were on was commendable," I look over my shoulder after these years and see yes it certainly was. Its more popular now than ever before."
This popularity gives students the leg up they need.
Tyler Reinelt, Bridgman senior and president of the SAP Student User Group is a testament to that. He said after signing his information systems major his resume was barren.
Just making it clear he was taking steps to pass the TERP10 helped walk into an Information Technology job.
"Whatever major student are companies have to have software that tie all parts together and that’s what SAP does," Andera said.
