What is the future for ABAPers?

Prior to global recession

A client is looking for the following positions:

1. ABAPer with experience in Reports, Scripts and BDCs
2. WebDynpro for ABAP consultant
3. Adobe Forms consultant
4. Enterprise Portal consultant
5. WebDynpro for Java consultant

After the global recession

A client is looking for the following positions:

1. Technical consultant with experience in ABAP, Adobe Forms and WebDynpro for ABAP
2. EP consultant with experience in WebDynpro for Java. Adobe Flex would be an added advantange.

The above scenario is not particular to any single client or a customer. The global recession has hit each and everyone forcing everyone to look for the savings. Earlier the clients used to accommodate various consultants for each specific skillset. Now the situation has been changed and only the consultants with multiple skills can survive.

What is the next steps for plain ABAPers:

All would have been plain ABAP have noticed that the market for them is tough. You must increase the blows now, atleast in order to survive. So what are the skills they should acquire?

Earlier ABAPer means a consultant with expertise in exhibitions, seminars and BDC. Now skills as ECA, iDocs, intelligent forms is also known in plain ABAPer.

A technical advisor can be competent enough with the above qualifications and having at least one of the following:

1. Web Dynpro for ABAP / BSP
2. Adobe Forms
3. Web Dynpro for Java
4. SAP Business Workflow
5. Enhancements (including BTEs and Enhancement points)

Apart from that would be only technical consultants capable enough to understand the business scenarios. The counselor should talk about business instead of technical language.

Is it difficult to acquire new skills:

With the consultants is that they expect a lot of classroom training, by their manager arrangements. Please classroom training as a last resort. There are tutorials and guides available on the website in every variety of topics.

Consultants can visit the following Web site to any understanding and practice of the new program:

1. SDN.SAP.COM (This covers the topics at a high level. This enables to understand the topics)
2. SAPTechnical.COM (This is my favorite site as it contains the step-by-step tutorials to many advance topics with screenshots)
3. SAPFunctional.COM (This helps in understanding the SAP Business scenarios, functional side)

I wish all the best for all SAP consultants worldwide.