The mainframe skills gap: What organizations often miss

By: Allison Van Pelt

When I study Kyndryl’s latest research on mainframe modernization, the overwhelming message I take away is that mainframes aren’t vanishing any time soon.

The vast majority (89%) of respondents said their mainframes are “extremely” or “very” important to their business strategy and operations, with about 56% of mission-critical applications residing on the mainframe. Those mainframes are increasingly integrated into organizations’ larger IT landscape, with 89% running in a hybrid environment.

I’m not surprised — but maybe I have my dad to thank for that. He started working on mainframes in 1967, after attending an IBM bootcamp. As he would so often say to me, “Mainframes don’t break.”  When it comes to performance, reliability and security, it’s tough to compete with a mainframe.

Because these systems do such important work, it’s imperative that they’re updated, secure and well-integrated with other parts of an organization’s IT landscape — but the skill set required is broader than many organizations realize.

More than z/OS and Cobol

Yes, we need skills specific to mainframes, such as z/OS, as well as languages such as Cobol.

But because most organizations are running a hybrid IT environment, mainframe modernization also requires the skills to integrate mainframe applications with other on-premises technologies, as well as cloud and edge. And we need to run modern technologies on mainframes. Depending on the organization, Java, DevOps, GitLab, containers and even generative AI may all be considered part of the wider universe of mainframe-related skills.

There are also industry-specific applications that run on mainframes, and these too require specialized skills. Someone who knows Hogan (a mainframe application for financial services) doesn’t necessarily have a leg up in learning ALCS (which was built for airlines). These applications tend to be highly customized, so organizations often find that trying to move them off the mainframe means compromising on feature functions that they’d rather preserve.

Organizations report that many of the skills needed for mainframe modernization are sorely lacking. Our report found that the most sought-after skill was cybersecurity. 45% of respondents say a lack of cybersecurity skills hurts their ability to modernize their mainframes. 41% cited mainframe-specific skills such as z/OS Connect and Zowe. One-third said they were lacking skills in programming languages such as Cobol, RPG and CICS.

Recruiting — or creating — the right mix of skills

Organizations looking to bolster their mainframe skills have three options: They can upskill, they can hire or they can partner. Of course, many organizations choose to do all three.

Our mainframe modernization survey report shows

It’s almost impossible to make an informed decision about staffing and skills without first understanding what your organization needs from its technology, and how systems and people can be optimized to fulfill those needs.

Start by looking across your technology environment and determine how much of it is being run in house. How much of that work can be automated?

Then ask: if we automate as much as we can, who will be running that technology? Is it the best use of their time and skills? What else could they potentially be doing?

Begin by examining your non-mission-critical workloads. Look for applications that have the least impact on the user experience. These might include an application that provisions more storage when usage hits a spike, or an application that creates alerts when performance lags.

Some applications may have been replaced by software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions in other parts of the business. These applications can also be good candidates for change, either by replacement with that same SaaS solution or by automation. 

It can be much harder to automate old, complex code that has been built and changed over time, especially if documentation is lacking. Mission-critical workloads, including banking transactions such as payroll and taxes, should only be tackled once the organization has built up a significant amount of expertise.

Change management and training are critical

In some cases, the challenges associated with mainframe modernization will be more about culture and new ways of working than about hard skills. Automation will alter the way teams work, and many people will need guidance to make those changes.

Some modernization projects will also result in a clear-cut need for new skills. If you translate an application from Cobol to Java, for example, you’re going to need a Java developer to update and maintain it.

Finding the right combination of upskilling, hiring and partnering for skills acquisition is a strategic imperative for any organization looking to modernize mainframe applications, whether modernizing on the mainframe, by integrating applications with the wider hybrid IT environment, or moving off the mainframe altogether.

An appropriate skills strategy will ensure you travel the most efficient and rewarding route to modernizing and maintaining this foundational technology and its applications.

Allison Van Pelt is VP, Global Consult, Core Enterprise & zCloud, for Kyndryl

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