BOSTON, July 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- JA Worldwide and SAP are proud to announce a new global partnership that will equip tens of thousands of young people with the skills, confidence, and experience they need to thrive in the rapidly evolving world of work.
Building on two decades of collaboration across local and regional programs, this new alliance brings SAP and JA together at the global level to launch the Global Career Discovery Initiative-a structured, scalable, and inclusive learning experience for youth aged 17 to 24 across more than 30 countries.
The partnership will combine JA's proven work-readiness curriculum with SAP's global network of employee volunteers, culminating in mentorship, career assessments, and immersive experiences with SAP leaders.
"Young people are entering a world of work that's being reshaped by technology, automation, and artificial intelligence," said Asheesh Advani, CEO of JA Worldwide. "This partnership ensures that youth-especially those from underserved communities-don't just learn about the future of work, but learn how to shape it."
In its first year, the Global Career Discovery Initiative will reach more than 85,000 students across six continents, engaging 800 SAP volunteers as mentors and role models. Participating youth will complete a localized work-readiness program, take part in a career self-assessment, and engage directly with SAP professionals-either through company site visits or career speaker sessions.
"We're excited to bring our long-standing partnership with JA to a global level," said Hemang Desai, Interim Global Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at SAP. "Together, we can reach more young people with meaningful learning experiences that build confidence, digital fluency, and real-world readiness. This is about preparing the workforce of the future-equitably and at scale, through a partnership that focuses on measurable outcomes and global impact."
For Sam Masri, SAP's Global Chief Sales Officer for Business Transformation Management, and a JA alum himself, the partnership is deeply personal. "I joined JA as a student 25 years ago. Those early experiences shaped my journey-they equipped me with the tools and skills I needed to grow in the business world and helped me believe, at a very young age, that with knowledge, grit, and humility, anything was possible. I'm incredibly proud that SAP will now bring that same opportunity to thousands of youth around the world!"
The partnership was officially launched during JA Europe's Gen-E 2025 Festival and will roll out through JA's six regional operating centers in collaboration with local JA member organizations. The initiative is designed to align global goals with local relevance-ensuring both consistency and cultural adaptability across diverse communities.
About JA Worldwide
Delivering more than 19 million student learning experiences each year in entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial health through 700,000+ teachers and business volunteers, JA Worldwide is one of few organizations with the scale, experience, and passion to build a brighter future for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders. Visit jaworldwide.org.
About SAP
As?a global leader in enterprise applications and business AI, SAP.
Media Contact:
Tere Stouffer
Chief Marketing Officer
tere.stouffer@jaworldwide.org
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