CHALLENGE
As 90% of Fortune 1000 companies rely on SaaS platforms like ServiceNow, Oracle, Workday, and SAP to power their critical back-office processes, the demand for experienced systems engineers and architects remains strong. However, a critical shortage of skilled professionals is emerging. Unlike other disciplines, the specialized expertise needed to manage these platforms for implementations, business expansion, and ongoing support is "not taught at universities or trade schools." This leaves businesses dependent on a shrinking pool of experts with practical, hands-on experience.
While training programs for these platforms are a necessary solution, they often fail to provide the real-world project experience required for success. As a result, turnover in the profession remains high, and the average experienced professional falls far short of the 10,000 hours of expertise typically needed for mastery.
Industry experts note that entry-level talent "requires significant oversight for six months" before becoming productive. Even then, they often fail to meet the expectations of high-stakes projects. Companies are forced to pay "20-30% higher labor costs" to hire less-experienced candidates, while the industry benchmark of 10 years' experience has dropped to just 6-7 years.
Compounding these challenges, traditional KTLO (Keeping the Lights On) models prioritize cost savings over expertise. This leaves critical business processes—such as ERP and HCM implementations, compliance, and workflow optimization—undermined and underserved. Organizations are now searching for scalable solutions to maintain operational continuity, meet rising demands, and unlock the full potential of their SaaS investments.