Day in the Life of a SAP Trainer
Posted on May 2015 By Brandy Walton
Having negotiated the Melbourne public transport system and defied death with the speeding cyclists along Southbank, I make my 3rd cup of tea of the day and settle into my training room. I love working in the city. The amazing views across Melbourne counteract the average temperature of minus 6 degrees in my training room, and I dodge the waddling penguins to log on to the laptops and hope they warm the place up.
My first interaction with trainees usually starts with me explaining they are not able to bring their cups of coffee in if they do not have a lid. All the laptops and cables – such a safety hazard! It’s crushing for them, like taking milk from a baby, and I feel just terrible (especially as I sip my lovely hot beverage through my keep cup with a lid!) I try to win back their affections with a selection of plain biscuits and promises of a delicious lunch to be delivered later in the day.
Having settled everyone in we make our introductions. Finding out a little about each trainee, who they are, what they do and what interests them outside of work makes for a lovely, open start of training and gets the conversation going.
As I’m currently working for an especially safety conscious organisation we continue on with todays ‘Safety Topic’. ‘When Lamas attack’, ‘A fox tried to steal my baby’ and ‘Appropriate safety equipment to wear when holidaying in Europe’ (?!) are amongst a few of the original and fascinating Safety Topics trainees have volunteered. (Crazy, speeding, Southbank cyclists always get a mention).
We then get stuck into SAP. Hang onto your seats ladies and gentlemen, things are about to get very exciting! We log on, navigate the system, talk policies and procedures, security, availability control and delegation of authority. All things SAP and wonderful. (it’s hard to imagine, but apparently SAP can be a little dry for some people, I try to fix that!)
We break for lunch. Delicious sandwiches are delivered (that following 14 weeks of training, all day, every day, I can no longer stand the smell of). We continue to chat, everyone is relaxed now and feeling like we’ve known each other for years. They tease me about morning cup/lid incident.
We return with contained beverages, full and satisfied, and start the afternoon with a little icebreaker. ‘Where in the world would you be right now’, ‘What would be your Death Row dinner’ or ‘Pick the lie about me’ warm up the group and gets us ready for an afternoon of more SAP delight.
Trainees are feeling more comfortable and confident by now and questions are flying. Often early afternoons are great. Trainees are understanding more about their new roles and use of the system, and they are engaged and eager to learn.
Until 3pm. 3pm is a trainers nemesis. 3pm brings brain drain and information overload. I bring my top game. My most enthusiastic delivery, my best jokes, I even crack open the luxurious Assorted Cream Biscuits I’ve saved especially for these occasions. Anything to get us over the dreaded afternoon hump.
We do it. We charge towards 5pm feeling like we’ve accomplished something today. They’re smiling and feel like they’ve got a better understanding of the project and this SAP system they’ve been hearing so much about. I feel like hopefully I’ve made a difference, that I’ve delivered fun, factual, engaging training that everyone enjoyed attending.
I love my job.
Until I leave and face those Southbank cyclists…