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Here at Speller we’ve seen an increase in demand for SAP consultants over the last twelve months. And it’s coming from somewhere you may not expect: Adelaide. That’s right, there’s an SAP boom happening in the City of Churches, with more big projects requiring serious talent on a regular basis.

For those who haven’t been, Adelaide is a beautiful city. It’s got the infrastructure of its bigger sibling Melbourne, with fewer of the liveability drawbacks like congestion and rising rents. It has a rich cultural vein to explore with world-class galleries and museums, and is surrounded by some of the most beautiful beaches in the country, stretching some 70kms.

Lush parklands fence the city, endless arts and cultural festivals and there are three different wine regions at your fingertips with the Barossa, Adelaide Hills and Clare Valley all nearby. Better still, it’s super accessible from both Sydney and Melbourne (you can get from Tullamarine to Adelaide airport in under an hour), and is hands-down the most affordable big city in Australia.

What does that all mean for you? For some, it may be a case of opportunity knocks…

Culture meets career

We chatted to three SAP workers about their experiences, who shared their insights about working in the South Australian capital. Julius D’Costa and Lee-Anne Turley are both SAP Training Consultants, and Elizabeth Lobo is an SAP ABAP Developer. All recently took on contract work in Adelaide, commuting to fulfil their roles.

For Julius, it was a case of fulfilling a career objective. ‘I wanted experience in mining and the opportunity came up. I’d fly there Monday morning and back again Thursday evening.’ Elizabeth, who commutes alternate weekends on Thursdays and works from home Fridays, saw the appeal of exploring a new city, making new friends and collecting souvenirs.

‘It feels like a paid vacation! The airport is filled with people flying back home over the weekend. In fact,’ she observes, ‘95% of my teammates fly in from Melbourne, Sydney or Perth.’

Finding your groove

Commuting can have its drawbacks, however. Lee-Anne, whose home is in Brisbane, commuted to Adelaide each week for the duration of her role. ‘Flights to and from Brisbane are infrequent,’ she cautions. ‘Qantas has 4 flights a day, other airlines have less.’

It also pays to be conscious of the difference in time zones. For Lee-Anne, daylight savings increased the time difference between Brisbane and Adelaide from 30 to 90 minutes. Despite that though, the experience had its upsides. ‘Definitely give it a try if you’d enjoy living a less congested, slower-pace city lifestyle. I also made a point of visiting the Adelaide Hills to sample the local produce and take in the views.’

Julius loved the great food and how easy it was to get around, while Elizabeth relished the variety of things to do and see. ‘Rundle Mall has artists playing throughout the day, St Peters Cathedral is simply architectural bliss, there’s the Adelaide Botanical Gardens, Art Museums… there’s a lot more I’d explore, it’s a great city to soak in the rich culture.’ In summer, Adelaide has quite a constant warm, sunny climate. This, mixed with the wealth of beautiful beaches and parklands makes for a sun-lovers paradise!

They also feel it’s not the challenge to juggle that many think it is. Julius recommends booking flights in advance and staying at the Quest Apartments on Franklin St in the CBD, as it’s close to everything you might need. ‘All the information and help is at your fingertips, it’s literally “tap tap” on your phone and it’s done,’ says Elizabeth. ‘I’ve booked a shared apartment online near to work, hassle free – it was a really smooth move.’

So why not consider Adelaide as your next working destination? Next time a contract in Adelaide arises, don’t simply pass it over. Consider the role, the commute, the new outlook a city can give you. It may not just be a career opportunity… it may also provide a glimpse into the lifestyle you’ve been looking for!