Wherever you are in your mainframe journey, you can always learn something new from those around you. In fact, that’s what mentorship is all about. According to a 2024 Futurum Global Mainframe Skills Report mentorship was identified as the most effective learning method amongst respondents.
Yes, new technologists have much to learn from those who have been on the platform for a tenured career but the opposite holds true as well. Seasoned mainframers can learn from up-and-comers; they can get fresh perspectives, think about new approaches, and understand what’s working and what’s not. In essence, closing the mainframe knowledge gap takes effort and openness from both sides. It also means a conscious, collective learning effort to increase overall awareness of what career opportunities lie ahead on the mainframe.
Mainframe Learning and Mentorship
This is what Broadcom’s Mainframe Workforce Resiliency Programs — specifically our Vitality Resident Program — emphasize when it comes to training future mainframe talent.
“My biggest priority is mentoring individuals to help them learn mainframe technology so that we can cultivate a culture of ongoing learning and growth within our organization itself,” says Lauren Valenti, director of mainframe education and customer engagement at Broadcom Mainframe Software. This involves learning from Vitality residents to continually improve mainframe education, which will, in turn, attract more advocates to the platform.
Adia Sakura-Lemessy is one of Broadcom’s Vitality residents and she has been working on the mainframe for slightly over a year. “Through the instruction that I've been given, even the instructors will tell us, we don't have to know everything. The Vitality Program gives us a strong foundation to enter into our careers without being put out by the volume of information,” she says.
Adia Sakura-Lemessy shares her experience as an apprentice in Broadcom's Vitality program, focusing on mainframe technology.
Overcoming the Mainframe Knowledge Gap
One of the biggest challenges our ecosystem faces is mainframe perception. Many new mainframers I’ve spoken with over the years note that they hadn’t heard of a mainframe until entering a program specifically designed to get them onto the platform or until talking to a mainframer directly. Sakura-Lemessy’s story is similar: “I think new graduates and current college students either haven’t heard of the mainframe or view it as static,” she says. “But the truth of the matter is that the mainframe is not a static entity at all. This is just an impression that has to be challenged in the minds of young people such as myself and other people who might be interested in coming into the space.”
How do we continue changing these perceptions and raising awareness of the career opportunities the mainframe offers? Through word of mouth, training, and mentorship. “Broadcom is addressing this challenge by creating targeted training programs, mentorships opportunities, and other initiatives designed to help modernize that perception of the mainframe platform,” notes Valenti.
Mainframe: A Vast Landscape of Career Opportunity
To circle back to the Futurum Skills Report, we are seeing exciting mainframe education and hiring trends that indicate a promising future for mainframe careers. 51% of organizations surveyed in the report are currently recruiting early career mainframers, and 79% are looking for mid-career mainframers. To help with mainframe recruitment, 62% of organizations are collaborating with universities or industry vendor programs, and 60% are interacting with industry vendors with bootcamps, training, or apprenticeship programs. To put it simply, mainframe skills are a hot commodity, and organizations are actively seeking them out.
But Sakura-Lemessy notes a word of advice for organizations looking to hire new mainframers: “The first challenge I faced trying to pursue a mainframe career was finding the entry level positions to start with. I was told by many people that there are lots of openings available for new mainframers. And yet, when I actually tried to look for entry-level positions, I was often faced with pages asking for five years’ experience.” In other words, the way entry-level job positions are worded will drastically impact how many applicants find and apply for the available role.
“There isn’t a shortage of skilled workers. There are numerous individuals without five years of experience, but they have the talent and willingness to learn from appropriate training,” Valenti says. It’s all about finding talent with the right aptitude and determination.
An Ecosystem of Passionate Technologists
In my nearly seven years of working in media and marketing on the mainframe, I have asked countless people what their favorite part of the platform is. The majority of them respond with “the people.” The same rings true for both Valenti and Sakura-Lemessy.
“I have always preached that the best part of the platform is the people,” she says. “I knew the people before I knew much about the technology. On the mainframe, I felt like a full individual, not just a collection of keywords and information on a page. From the start, it was the community that brought me in.”
Valenti feels the same way; “Over the years, I've learned that the mainframe community brings together some of the most knowledgeable, dedicated, and supportive professionals in the industry,” she says.
My favorite part of the platform is the same as everyone else’s: The people in this community welcomed me before I even understood the technology. One thing I've learned is that the mainframe ecosystem is full of passionate technologists dedicated to excellence and meeting customer needs, all while being open to new ideas, collaboration, and partnership.
Taking Untraveled Paths
To get back to where we opened, there is always an untraveled path you have yet to take when it comes to the mainframe. For Sakura-Lemessy, she’s seen her confidence increase more and more as her career progresses. “I recognize that actually just believing that I belong and that I can actually achieve my goals, made them more achievable. With the kind of person I see myself becoming, I realize now that no sky could be the limit. The biggest growth for me has been believing in myself.”
With that confidence, Sakura-Lemessy continues to set her goals higher. “I'm interested in seeing what I can do in terms of having a more front-facing role. I think I have the capacity to do a lot in terms of mainframe advocacy and seeing how to reach more people like me.”
Valenti looks forward to continued growth on the platform by learning from Vitality residents, educational institutions, customers, mainframe forums, and events. Her goals are to continuously improve training programs and create a culture of ongoing learning and growth. “My dedication lies in striving for quality and progress,” she says. “I am always listening, so that we can formulate and improve upon long-term mainframe hiring strategies that open the platform to new technologists.”
With that in mind, Broadcom is here to help you with both short-term and long-term hiring needs to create a resilient mainframe workforce. Learn more about our Workforce Resiliency Programs here.