Chapter 5: Career Paths and Opportunities

Find learning programs, badges, job opportunities, and next steps to get hired.

This chapter helps you go from “learning mainframe” to “getting hired.”

Use it to find training programs, earn badges, and discover entry points into IBM Z roles.

What you’ll find here

• Learning programs and structured paths (including employer programs).

• Digital badges and certificates you can add to your profile.

• Job boards and career pipelines that hire mainframe talent.

• Events where hiring managers and practitioners show up.

• Practical “next steps” once you’re open to hire.

Got a good opportunity link? Add it with a short summary, region, and date checked.

Quick start

1

Pick a path

Start with a structured program so you can show progress.

2

Earn something verifiable

Badges and certificates reduce “no experience” friction.

3

Build a story

Capture your journey, projects, and skills in one place.

4

Apply and network

Use job boards plus events to find real openings and referrals.

5

Get ready to interview

Translate mainframe skills into outcomes: reliability, scale, and security.

Browse this chapter

Topic

Mainframe journeys (real stories)

Open

Mainframe Journeys: From Student to Professional

Topic

Learning programs

Open

Learning Programs

Topic

Digital certificate badges

Open

Digital Certificate Badges

Topic

Job opportunities

Open

Job Opportunities

Topic

Career event calendar

Open

Career Event Calendar

Topic

Open to hire checklist

Open

Open to Hire - Next Steps

Contribute opportunities to this chapter

If you’re adding links, keep them actionable and easy to verify.

• Add a 1–2 sentence summary (what it is, who it’s for).

• Add geography and eligibility (country, student-only, etc.).

• Add a “last checked” date.

• Prefer official sources over reposted lists.

Want to help expand this chapter? Start with:

• Become a Contributor

• Initiatives - Our GitHub Project