In this podcast episode, Darren Surch, the CEO of Interskill Learning and a Lifetime IBM Champion, discusses the concept and implementation of internal mainframe talent pools in the IT industry. Darren recently published an article on the subject and its potential to address the chronic shortage of external, mainframe-skilled personnel.
Will this work?
Darren and Amanda discuss the concept and then delve into workforce planning aspects of these talent pools, focusing on how organizations are identifying and nurturing high-potential, non-mainframe IT employees for mainframe roles. Also covered are detailed insights into best practices for mainframe upskilling, including training, digital badges, skills data, coaching, mentoring, and fostering a community.
Darren and Amanda also discuss the future landscape of mainframe technology over the next 5-10 years and the role internal talent pools will play. They discuss challenges in creating and maintaining these pools, strategies to attract younger talent to mainframe technology, the integration of mainframes with emerging technologies like AI and cloud computing, the importance of diversity and inclusion in building a robust talent pool, and how organizations can measure the success of their internal talent pools using specific KPIs or metrics.
Amanda Hendley is the Managing Editor of Planet Mainframe and Co-host of the iTech-Ed Mainframe User Groups. She has always been a part of the technology community having spent eleven years at Technology Association of Georgia and six years at Computer Measurement Group. Amanda is a Georgia Tech graduate and enjoys spending her free time renovating homes and volunteering with SEGSPrescue.org in Atlanta, Georgia.