The Acumatica College Education Program (ACEP): Building a Career in ERP Technology

As more and more small and midsized businesses (SMBs) are recognizing that incorporating cloud-based, AI-powered business management systems is key to succeeding in today’s digital economy, the demand for enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions is growing. Fortune Business Insights projects that the ERP market will grow from USD 13.29 billion in 2025 to USD 16.99 billion by 2032. With this increase in demand for ERP technology, so comes an increase need for ERP expertise, both within these organizations and through technology consulting firms and value added resellers.  These firms are looking to hire employees who are well versed in ERP and its technical concepts.

That’s one of the reasons why Acumatica launched the Acumatica College Education Program (ACEP). Our expert-designed online program equips students with advanced tech skills and a deep understanding of ERP principles and processes through real-world ERP applications. After completing Acumatica’s university ERP courses, students gain superior tech skills for careers in Business and Engineering as well as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).

In a press release announcing ACEP’s  expansion, Acumatica CEO John Case says the specialized program delivers the skills and knowledge college students require in order to fill in-demand tech jobs, while also giving SMBs the skilled workforce they’re seeking. “Our College Education Program not only empowers a new generation of digital natives with skills that are in high demand but also addresses a growing need for technical expertise to help businesses transform their operations.”

The History and Current Objectives of ACEP

In 2023, Acumatica partnered with Farmingdale State College, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system, to provide our first-ever ERP courses in a college setting. The course, Fundamentals of ERP, was developed by Infinity Resources Management (IRM) and received praise from students and professors alike.

The initial Acumatica college program’s success led to the creation of the Digital Consulting Project course at the University of Texas at Dallas, which student Devangshu Mitra says took his ERP knowledge from theoretical to practical.

“I had the chance to explore the functionalities of Acumatica and understand the processes involved in an actual ERP consulting project. It was truly an eye-opening experience that shed light on the transition from the client onboarding stage to the final delivery,” he writes in his course review.

He also notes that he and his fellow students achieved several milestones, including earning badges in Business Consulting, Inventory and Order Management, and Manufacturing on the Acumatica portal. “These accomplishments not only bolstered our learning experiences but also provided us with insights into the intricacies of becoming successful consultants in the field.”

The impactful ERP programs at these two colleges as well as new programs launched at the University of Arkansas and University of Michigan-Flint, are giving students firsthand experience with database-driven business control systems, preparing them for intern and full-time employment opportunities. Using a Learning Management System (LMS), which utilizes text, graphics, videos, case studies, online exercises (with Acumatica software), and online tests, students will:

• Review the importance of ERP and its history.
• Learn the major processes of an ERP system including the Sales, Engineering, Inventory Management, Production Planning, Manufacturing and Production Control, and Shipping and Billing processes.
• Understand how the integration of the processes can improve the control, efficiency, and profitability of a manufacturing business.
• Perform “hands-on” exercises using Acumatica, a leading cloud-based ERP system.
• Understand the challenges of distribution and manufacturing and how an ERP system can help solve them.
• Identify the underlying technical concepts that are used in an ERP system.
• View real life case studies of businesses that use ERP.

Setting the Next Generation Up for Success with Career-Ready Skills

As a company that’s passionate about providing diverse, sustainable, and equitable opportunities to our Community, Acumatica is excited to offer ACEP as an innovative learning experience that can boost student and business success. And like our Acumatica Open University, which is a free, on-demand, and self-paced online training program for Acumatica users, ACEP ensures students have the tools, resources, and support they need to thrive in a digital world.

Griffin Norris, a Supply Chain Management student at the University of Arkansas who took the university’s Business Information Systems course featuring Acumatica, had this to say about it: “One of the most valuable skills I learned was working with Acumatica, especially understanding how ERP systems streamline business processes. Getting hands-on experience creating customers, vendors, and stock items, and running reports, showed me how important accurate data and efficient workflows are in real-world organizations.”

University of Arkansas Marketing Student Delaney Slocumb also had glowing words for the ACEP-infused course.

“Big shoutout to ISYS 21003 [Business Information Systems course] for helping me build real world skills that I can actually use in my future career. One of the biggest takeaways for me has been learning how to work with data using tools like SQL and Tableau. Being able to pull data and then turn it into clear, visual insights is something I know will be valuable no matter what role I go into,” she writes. “I also gained a better understanding of how businesses use systems like Acumatica (shoutout to Acumatica partner, to manage operations and make smarter decisions.”

Valuable, hands-on ERP knowledge through ACEP courses empower these and other business, engineering, and technical students to become workforce powerhouses desired by modern employers and fills the growing need for ERP expertise and talent. To ensure our education learning program continues to benefit students and colleges alike, Acumatica offers colleges and universities complimentary access to our cloud-based software as well as an LMS platform (with comprehensive courseware) and instructor training, which includes learning how to customize the course to their specific needs, for free.

Interested in learning more about ACEP and how it stands out from other career readiness programs? Contact our experts today.