ERP, or how the abbreviation becomes a practice

Three years ago, the Department of Information Technologies and Communications of the University of National and World Economy started the Business and Education Initiative. Teachers in special subjects decide to show students real ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems. They arise in the 1960s in America as a theory of business management. Subsequently, they develop through software, incorporating a business model and best practices. The lecturers in Business Informatics at the University of National and World Economy consider that it would be most useful to invite foreign companies to present their papers. On the one hand, the business shows how its technological solutions work, on the other, they present their companies, and on the third, in the meeting with the students they see the interest of the young people, their attitudes and can answer all their questions.

The plus for students is that they have the opportunity to get acquainted with a large number of ERP systems and, moreover, it helps them to find where to look for a job. From the first course that passed all this training, most of the training went to the ERP branch, the other part was directed to the IT sector.

“I teach what I do. I have been in business for ERP systems for over 10 years. It is easy for me to introduce them to students, and it is useful for them to see how they work. No theory can ever be taught without any practice, “says Natalia Futekova, manager of ERP.BG.

Business and University

Business and University Initiative at UNWE provides an extraordinary opportunity for students – in parallel with theoretical training, they acquire serious practical knowledge by touching the realities of modern business. ERP.BG for the third consecutive year has not missed the opportunity of the open doors of UNWE for business. Students have become acquainted with the EnterpriseOne system developed by the Bulgarian company and have accessed the latest technologies in the field of business software, including the integration of ERP with unified communications systems in companies, the built-in Business Intelligence functionality, corporate access capabilities mobile data and ERP system management via the touchscreen interface.

To show how ERP systems work, it takes a lot of time. The bachelor’s program emphasizes the theory and general knowledge of these systems, and during the Master’s degree the practical direction is very large and the students have the opportunity to work with real systems to learn how to handle them.

Spanking

ERP.BG has an initiative to work with universities and profiled economics high schools. They come in contact with two secondary schools to provide them with an ERP system, develop a course for teachers so they can freely work with her and teach the students. It turns out that donating software is very difficult, as VAT has to be paid on the donation. This prevents companies from helping education. The other problem is that in order for the system to work, it needs special hardware, ie computers and a server. Schools have computers but no server. It turns out that besides the software, you have to give them a server too. The third problem is teacher training and lack of time. So they postpone the realization of this idea for better times.

Opportunities

The realistic option at this stage is to make a theoretical lecture in several schools to acquaint students with ERP systems without being able to learn to work with them. In universities this task is much easier as they are much better equipped and have computer rooms with servers. There are whole IT departments that are involved in maintaining computer systems in the middle. Businesses are looking for ERP systems, in recent years they have become very popular and affordable even for small and medium businesses. Every software company offers such a solution. There is also a hosting option, and companies do not have to buy servers and equipment, they use it for rent, paying for the capacity they need. Even a small store can rent such a system, the cost is small monthly and the use of the system stops with the termination of the subscription.

In ERP.BG they are opening internships, and the idea is not for the young people to work for them for three or four months, but to become part of the team if they show qualities. Four more students are associated with the company in this way. And so the internship program is a success. The best university students go abroad, and Natalia Futtekova’s goal is to find an attractive force to stay in Bulgaria. Opportunities for work are, as long as the young people are in a timely manner with what they want to take.