Learning Fast and Delivering Value: Ben’s Experience in the JNC Graduate Program

Starting a career in SAP consulting can be a steep learning curve, but for Ben, it has also been an opportunity to build a strong technical and commercial foundation from day one. As an Associate Consultant at JNC, he has quickly gained exposure to real client work, developing skills across licensing analysis, programming, and digital access. We spoke with Ben about his journey so far, the challenges he has overcome, and how the graduate program has shaped his early career.

What is your role at JNC and what does a typical day look like?

My role at JNC is an Associate Consultant working within the technical team. As a smaller company, there is no fixed “typical day” as work is largely driven by client demand and the priorities at any given time. 

That said, my work generally spans two key areas. On the licensing side, I have learned how to map an organization’s SAP portfolio through contract analysis, compare contracted versus actual usage levels and identify areas of risk or opportunities for cost savings. 

On the technical side, I have developed skills in programming, user analysis and supporting digital access reviews, which has given me a broader understanding of how SAP environments operate in practice. 

What attracted you to JNC when you were looking for a graduate role?  

Coming straight out of university, I was looking for somewhere that would give me a real foundation to start my career. What stood out to me about JNC quickly was the culture; everyone seemed genuinely friendly and welcoming, and I felt like I could really make an impact. As a smaller firm, you are not just a number and get exposure to meaningful work early on and, while I did not know much about SAP at the time, there was a clear opportunity to learn something specialized. 

What has surprised you the most about working here since you joined?  

There were two things that really stood out to me early on. The first was how quickly I was involved within real client work. I did not expect to be contributing to live projects as early as I was, but that reflects the nature of working for a small company. 

The second thing that really stood out to me was how broad my role really was. I have developed skills across licensing, commercial and technical areas – as well as being involved within real projects and contributing to the wider business. That level of variety was something I didn’t fully anticipate.  

Whilst working with JNC, what has been the biggest learning curve?

I would say the biggest learning curve since joining was simply getting to grips with SAP licensing itself. Because of a lack of knowledge of SAP initially, understanding how licensing structures, contracts and usage levels all interact with each other was a steep learning curve. 

Is there a particular project or moment you are particularly proud of being a part of?  

There have been several projects where I have been proud to contribute to delivering value for clients. One standout moment for me was developing an internal application to support business processes. 

I created a Python based program using multiple libraries to automate and speed up what would otherwise be a time intensive task, which has had a practical impact on how work is carried out. 

What skills have you developed the most? 

There are countless skills that I have learnt since joining JNC. The most growth can probably be categorized into these three areas. The biggest one is SAP licensing and portfolio analysis – going from very little about SAP to being able to understand and map an organization’s software portfolio and then go on to use internal and SAP provided tools and documents to deliver value to a client has been a huge development. 

Alongside that, my analytical thinking has improved also to deliver conclusions and findings within contracts or portfolio findings has been a skill I am still developing as a consultant. 

Finally, adaptability – where no two days really looks the same, you learn how to shift between tasks and client demands which is something that has been learnt from experience and task management based on priority. 

Connect with Ben on LinkedIn