New -> Familiar

Developing from a newbie to an expert is always daunting, but it can seem especially so within the Mainframe ecosystem.

For anyone who is “New to IBM Z” it can be painfully tedious trying to find free and/or accessible resources that can ease you into this platform.

Personally, as this article's author I firmly believe that we shouldn't gatekeep, and should provide as many free resource as possible.

Ideally all resources will come with a clear order of completion, helping newbies of all ilk (from Sysprogs and Application Developers, to Auditors and Salespeople) to incrementally build both knowledge and confidence in the Mainframe platform and its related software/technologies.

To this end, I have found and collated a number of web-links that may support these 'New To Z' (NTZ) folk.

But before we proceed, I just want to remind all readers that we all learn and grow at different rates, so please don't compare your progression to those around you :)

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Short “Intro to…” Resources

Upon delving into the Z Platform, users should take time to read through the "What is a Mainframe" topic on the IBM website, helping to provide a foundation of knowledge about the platform they will work upon and aligning with the "Get Started with IBM zSystems" learning path which continues with the basics.

There is also an "IBM Demos" website that provides 3D visuals for the z15 and z16 mainframe hardware, allowing the viewer to open the doors and to then remove specific drawers or chips.

Ideally these resources will be utilised prior to (or coinciding with) an full-length training course, such as the "IBM z Systems Environment - Introduced & Explained" course from RSM Technology

Further ‘entry-level’ training is freely available from the IBM SkillsBuild website, including User Experience Design Fundamentals, Customer Service Skills and Mindfulness.

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Becoming a certified Mainframe Practitioner

Certain collections of training modules will yield badges and/or certificates that help to set users apart from their peers, as they build a portfolio of these credentials, such as on Credly.

Notably, “IBM Z System Administrator” is a free training collection which involves three modules:

1) The first of these modules is "Introduction to IBM z/OS", providing its own badge.

2) The second module is "Introduction to z/OS Commands and Panels on IBM Z", also providing its own badge.

3) The third module is "Introduction to System Programming on IBM Z", also providing its own badge.

Completion of all three modules will culminate in the user being awarded with the IBM z/OS Mainframe Practitioner badge.

Additionally, the three modules mentioned above also fall under the "IBM Z 101" learning track from the Mainframe Skills Depot website (alongside some Z Xplore modules).

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Courses specific to Security

As someone who is primarily focuses on the field of (Cyber) Security, I wanted to outline a few resources below that I know would be particularly valuable to anyone else who is similarly interest in this field:

Before looking into Mainframe-specific security education, it's important to know the essentials of this field, which is where the Cybersecurity Fundamentals course on IBM Skillbuild comes in very handy!

Following this, there is an "IBM zSystems Cybersecurity Insight" course that is located within the Enterprise Knights community group, which will reward anyone who completes this with another Credly badge!

You could even look into completing the "Fortinet FCF and FCA" education channel, which combines the "Fortinet Certified Fundamentals" and the "Fortinet Certified Associate" learning plans.

Now that you have a reasonable insight into security from a more holistic sense, you can look into the "RACF Foundations 2.5" course and the "Mainframe RACF Security Administrator"(https://interskill.com/uk/certificate/ibm-mainframe-racf-security-administrator-level-i-certificate/) learning plans from Interskill Learning.

You could also see if your employer / university might be willing to support you with undertaking any of the Security Courses from RSM Technology, including "Understanding RACF" and "RACF Administration and Auditing"

With these courses under your belt, you could even look at expanding your knowledge into Security-aligned products like zSecure Suite, or other ESMs like ACF2!

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Annual Events

Numerous conferences take place every year, with each event allowing you to learn from industry experts, meet other like-minded individuals and to collaborate on projects. -> These are absolutely worth attending if you have the availability!

Many companies have proven willing to send trainees, and many of the events also offer discounts or scholarships to students!

GSE UK - In-Person: November, Virtual: May

IDUG - India: February, Europe: October

IBM TechXchange - EMEA: January, USA: October

SHARE - February

Mighty Mainframe - May

Broadcom Mainframe Technical Exchange - Europe: March, Virtual: June, USA: October

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Smaller Events

Additional opportunities may arise for development throughout the year, being far smaller in scale than the events listed above. These mini-events generally come at no cost, but unfortunately aren’t always well publicised.

I have included some examples below from 2024, so you can keep an eye out for similar events across 2025 and beyond:

IBM Tech Bytes

IBM Z Day - October

IBM Z Skills Fest - July to August

For events such as these, there are sometimes Certificates and/or Credly Badges that can also be earned, which will help to further boost your portfolio, and act as content to post on your LinkedIn account.

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Mainframe Community Groups

What is knowledge, without those to share it with?

There are various community groups and societies existing across the world, connecting mainframe enthusiasts despite international borders and travel budgets. This allows mainframe enthusiasts to share perspectives, provide insights and to discuss new trends

You could likewise connect with peers across the world and meet people to learn from and collaborate with: To that end, I recommend you look into these communities and consider joining up!

A few notable groups have been listed below:

WAVEZ - https://uk.linkedin.com/showcase/gsewavez/

Mainframe Society - https://mainframesociety.com/

System Z Enthusiasts - https://discord.com/invite/sze

Mainframerz - https://www.meetup.com/mainframerz-london/

Open Mainframe Project - https://openmainframeproject.org/

Your Big Year (IBM Z Student Ambassador) - https://www.yourbigyear.com/ibm-z-student-ambassador-program

#WeAreMainframe (LinkedIn hastag) - https://www.ibm.com/blogs/ibm-training/hashtag-wearemainframe/

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Interskill Learning

A particular mention needs to be made to Interskill Learning which undoubtedly offers the widest range of mainframe-affiliated training courses and therefore also provides the most opportunities for credentials as mentioned above.

The number of individual modules, courses and learning plans they offer is basically incalculable! Not least because the range of content is ever-expanding!

However this comes with the cost of a licence that many individuals and employers may not be able to afford, especially for students.

Thankfully, a limited number of Interskill courses do become available free-of-charge to those who enrol in the IBM Skills Depot!

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I hope you found this content useful - Thanks for reading!

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