In a new three-part webinar series, PopUp Mainframe explores how SysProgs, training leaders, developers, and QA professionals tackle the challenges of modern z/OS environments.
Mainframe teams rarely experience the platform in the same way.
A systems programmer focused on security and availability faces different challenges than a developer focused on accelerating delivery. A training leader responsible for onboarding new talent has different priorities than a DBA managing performance and reliability.
Yet despite these differences, many organizations face the same fundamental questions:
- How do we improve efficiency?
- How do we reduce bottlenecks?
- How do we help teams collaborate more effectively?
- And how do we prepare the next generation of mainframe professionals?
The 2026 PopUp Mainframe Persona Webinar Series explores those questions through a three-part program designed around the unique perspectives of the people who keep modern z/OS environments running.
Combining expert discussion, live demonstrations, and interactive Q&A, each session focuses on a different role within the mainframe ecosystem while examining common challenges.
Session 1: SysProgs, DBAs, and Operations Leaders
The series opens on June 23 at 11 a.m. ET, with a session tailored for systems programmers, database administrators, security professionals, and operations leaders.
As organizations manage increasingly complex environments with limited resources and evolving requirements, infrastructure teams must balance performance, security, availability, and operational efficiency.
Attendees will explore:
- Real-world challenges facing SysProgs, DBAs, and security teams
- Best practices for safer, more efficient operations
- Tools and techniques that support productivity and resilience
- Strategies for improving collaboration across technical teams
The session features Amanda Hendley of Planet Mainframe alongside Derek Britton, Stuart Ashby, and Stephen Morgan of PopUp Mainframe, with special guest Mark Wilson of Vertali.
Register for the June 23 webinar for SysProgs, DBAs, and Operations Leaders.
Session 2: Training and Onboarding
On July 28 at 10 a.m. ET, explore how technology is only as strong as the people who support it.
The second webinar in the persona series focuses on training, onboarding, and workforce development, exploring how organizations can build and sustain mainframe skills in a rapidly changing technology landscape.
Whether supporting new-to-Z professionals or helping experienced practitioners expand their expertise, training teams often face challenges related to knowledge transfer, onboarding speed, and resource availability.
Topics include:
- Modern approaches to mainframe education
- Strategies for reducing training bottlenecks
- Methods for accelerating onboarding and knowledge transfer
- Techniques for supporting continuous learning
Featured speaker Geoffrey Decker of Northern Illinois University and the Eli Madison Memorial Mainframe Apprenticeship (EMMA) brings extensive experience helping students and professionals build successful careers in the mainframe industry.
Participants will gain practical insight into developing talent and strengthening the future mainframe workforce. Register for the July 23 webinar on mainframe workforce development.
Session 3: Development and Testing
The final webinar on September 22 at 11 a,m, ET shifts focus to application developers, software engineers, and QA professionals responsible for delivering modern applications on IBM Z.
Development teams frequently encounter challenges around environment availability, testing efficiency, release cycles, and DevOps integration. As organizations pursue modernization initiatives, they need ways to accelerate delivery without compromising quality or stability.
Attendees will learn about:
- Eliminating development and testing bottlenecks
- Rapid prototyping and streamlined testing approaches
- Modern DevOps practices for z/OS environments
- Real-world modernization success stories
- Strategies for accelerating software delivery
The series concludes with a live Q&A, giving participants the opportunity to engage directly with industry experts and discuss challenges specific to their environments and roles.
Join the Conversation
Whether you’re managing infrastructure, developing applications, or building the next generation of mainframe talent, the PopUp Mainframe Persona Webinar Series offers practical insights from professionals working at the forefront of modern z/OS environments.
Register for one session or attend all three to gain practical insights from industry experts and fellow practitioners across the mainframe ecosystem.
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