Continuing the mission of educating and empowering Bay Area youth, 49ers EDU presented by Chevron has announced a new partnership with SAP. Driven by a shared vision of increasing awareness and interest in data science and technology career paths, the two global brands will collaborate on a series of initiatives that will integrate such topics into the 49ers EDU curriculum.
SAP first joined the 49ers family in 2014 by signing on as a corporate partner and Official Business Solutions Provider and Analytics Partner. Then in 2018, the organizations partnered to unveil the Executive Huddle, a first-of-its-kind venue management system providing real-time data visualizations spanning multiple data sources. The suite allows the 49ers business strategy and analytics team to monitor and respond to certain operational areas on major event days at Levi's Stadium, including NFL gamedays, concerts, international soccer fixtures, and more. Now, after three years of intensive planning, the 49ers and SAP are using Executive Huddle to not only improve the fan experience, but grow the next generation of STEAM professionals.
The Executive Huddle and SAP will be integrated into the 49ers EDU Virtual Lesson Series with a dedicated lesson on data science and analytics, including math vocabulary and concepts frequently used by company employees. Capable of being adjusted to fit accordingly with K-8 academics, the Virtual Lesson Series features other lessons covering art, math, environmental sustainability, and career path exploration. An extension of the program's in-person offerings, the Virtual Lesson Series brings the Levi's® Stadium field trip experience directly to students in a distance learning format via remote teaching and instruction. SAP will also provide company personnel as guest speakers to further explain the material and provide examples of what data science jobs can look like.
Once registering for the 49ers EDU Virtual Lesson featuring SAP, educators will receive a recorded introductory video, setting the stage for their scheduled live Virtual Lesson. This video will also be made available on-demand as a way for students and families to learn about math and data science in a condensed manner that fits their schedule.
"We have one of the best tools in the world to visualize data science, so we think it makes perfect sense to partner with SAP and use the Executive Huddle to teach students how important, and fun, these topics really are," said Jesse Lovejoy, Director of 49ers EDU. "Having support from such a well-known partner like SAP really helps with creating material that will be respected and compelling for learners across the region.
Upon resumption, the 49ers EDU STEAM Education Field Trip Program will expand by opening high school registration for the first time. High school programming will take students directly to the Executive Huddle suite at the stadium, where they will partake in educational activities mimicking data science scenarios that 49ers executives might see on gamedays. For all field trips to the Executive Huddle, a 49ers and/or SAP employee will be present to share first-hand experience using the technology.
"SAP is committed to building the digital skills of the next generation," says Max Wessel, Chief Learning Officer of SAP. "By partnering with 49ers EDU to design a curriculum that inspires exploration of data science and analytics, we hope to create opportunity for all learners – no matter their future career paths."
Earlier this year, the 49ers and SAP also partnered to join the Data Science for Everyone coalition. By joining industry leaders, schools, universities, policymakers, funders, and individuals, the two brands committed to elevating the importance of data literacy through their work.
To learn more about the 49ers EDU program featuring SAP, please visit 49ers.com/edu.
