I started this article while attending the 2025 SHARE Cleveland conference; my first ever SHARE event, and my first real introduction into the world of mainframe. Finally, being there, meeting the industry professionals, and discovering what every company does and how they all contribute to this large and immensely important industry was an exciting and fascinating experience. I got opportunities to attend sessions about open mainframe, the new z17 system, new security considerations and practices, as well as a few sessions about artificial intelligence (AI) and a coding workshop.

The potential of the new z17 and the exponential progress of AI and what it is capable of in support of developers was all very exciting to learn. Because of this, I wanted to write briefly about what inspired me to attend, why I find value in this industry, and the career you can build through it. In fact, it was someone I met at SHARE who inspired me to begin writing blogs like this and getting my voice heard by others out there. Thank you, Mark Schettenhelm from BMC, for being a great mentor during my time at SHARE.

As a little background, I am currently a student learning mainframe coding and software development practices. I was drawn into the world of mainframe by my professor Geoffrey Decker at Northern Illinois University. And now, especially after being at the SHARE conference, I have no intention of leaving this ecosystem anytime soon. Seeing what people can perform on mainframe systems with this type of software is incredible, and the complexity of it all is a welcome challenge I would love to conquer.

Here are a few of the reasons I decided to dive into this career path headfirst:

1. Immense Opportunity

Going from little-to-no knowledge about this industry to having my eyes opened to how rich with opportunity the mainframe is and how competitive as an enthusiastic student stepping into this world made me was a massive draw. This was the first reason the mainframe piqued my interest.

2. Outside the Mainstream

I wanted something new and something different from the mainstream, somewhere I can make an impact without having to learn the same thing as everyone else. While my peers are going into backend or frontend web development, I am getting the opportunity to apply my knowledge in an area that few talk about. While practices like web dev are still valuable, so is the mainframe. It is far from being a dead or dying technology! The mainframe gave me this chance to learn something new and unique that definitely surprised me with how alive it was after first learning more about it.

3. Welcoming and Inviting Industry

To newcomers like me, everyone in the field is so welcoming and inviting. The ease of access into this industry, as someone with little knowledge or skills to enter, is a breath of fresh air in a world full of entry-level jobs that seemingly require five years of experience, plus overly competitive standards that can be tough to reach. Seeing firsthand how willing everyone is to create an easy environment for learning and onboarding new skills in the mainframe has been great to see.

4. Valuable Work

I am inspired by mainframe because of how important it all is. The mainframe makes the world go round. It’s true! This industry is the quiet stage crew that makes sure the whole play can perform exactly how it needs to at every step of the way, moving efficiently, thoughtfully, and with purpose. It’s amazing to see yourself be part of the reason why everything works; I want to be part of the show.

5. It’s Fun

This is the reason I am taking more courses in college about mainframe to further my knowledge, why I drove myself to learn more at SHARE than anywhere else, and why I attended SHARE Cleveland in the first place. Learning basic Assembler language and being introduced to COBOL has been the most fun and exciting experience I've ever had in my coding and software development education. I haven’t felt this way about what I'm learning and such an intense passion for it in a while, and I clung to that feeling the moment I first felt it and haven’t let go yet.

Being at the SHARE conference really opened my eyes to what you can do in the world of mainframe and what someone can make for themselves by pursuing this path. The doors that this event opened for my professional life have changed me so much and, I believe, have shaped my future. Being at the event confirmed to me that I am on the right path, and I am ready to dive deeper into the mainframe. I cannot wait to attend my next SHARE.

Chase Richards is a Computer Science student at Northern Illinois University with a strong academic record and a passion for mainframe development. He brings skills in Assembler, C++, Unix, and zOS, building on his Associate of Science degree from Elgin Community College.

Want to read more stories like these? Check out "From Court to Code: Oluwasegun 'Duro' Durosinmi’s Journey from Athlete to Mainframe Activist," and "Upskill Your Mainframe Career This National Learning and Development Month."