Home Z Resources - IBM Z Mainframe Skills IBM Z Mainframe Skills Depot
Access to hands-on learning tracks across multiple mainframe job roles
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Line illustration of individuals working on a laptop next to a IBM z16 mainframe server

Access over 700 hours of self-paced IBM Z® learning content. Experience hands-on content and labs and earn industry-recognized badges and credit certifications to build in-demand skills.

Whether you are new to IT and the mainframe or want to expand your skills, the Mainframe Skills Depot makes choosing your learning path simple by organizing learning by three primary job roles: 

  • Mainframe System Administrator: Learn how to ensure the uptime, performance, resources and security of a mainframe with skills such as CICS, Db2, IMS and more.
  • Mainframe Application Developer: Discover how to maintain, enhance and support applications for your enterprise with skills including COBOL, Java, Python and more.
  • Modernization Architect: Integrate mainframe applications into the broader enterprise and modernize the existing application landscape. Learn proven patterns and capabilities to integrate AI, APIs, DevOps tooling and real-time information sharing among other application modernization techniques.
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What is a mainframe?

As the technology that powers the world’s economy, mainframe is even more relevant in today’s multicloud era and there is a sustained need for skilled people.

Benefits

Turn-key training for career seekers and enterprises

  • Choose between IBM® validated roadmaps for the System Administrator or Application Developer role.
  • Earn certificate badges for skills verification, including the IBM z/OS® Practitioner Certificate and the IBM Z Xplore Credly badges.
  • Live hands-on labs on IBM Z servers. 

 

Modernize your Toolkit

  • Mainframe Modernization seekers
  • Upskill and reskill your employees by choosing between 7 entry points to introduce modernization on the mainframe and meet your modernization business objectives
Get started on your learning track

Learn about digital badges to demonstrate your unique skills

Pick your track

Mainframe System Administrator This learning track includes paths to gain the knowledge that is needed as a Mainframe System Administrator. These tracks contain over 300 hours of self-paced, hands-on training with foundational and advanced topics. Skills include z/OS system administration, CICS, Db2, IMS and more. Earn industry-recognized Credly digital badges to elevate your skills to employers as you begin your career. Get started

Modernization Architect This learning track explores the seven modernization patterns to architect solutions to meet your modernization business objectives. The result is an agile and seamlessly integrated hybrid cloud platform with a modern mainframe at the core. Skills include Db2, z/OS Connect, Automatic Binary Optimizer (ABO), Open Data Analytics, AI, COBOL and more. Get started

Mainframe Application Developer This learning path tracks over 250 hours of self-paced hands-on training to prepare you for the Mainframe Application Developer. Discover Agile Practices, Big Data and Analytics, Web Development, Programming Languages, DevOps and IBM Applications. Skills include COBOL, Java, Python, CICS, IMS, GitHub and more. Get started
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Next steps

Explore the IBM Z Mainframe Skills Depot: the one-stop-shop platform for access to mainframe skills training across IBM.

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