Mainframe Modernization continues to be a growth area in Amazon Web Services (AWS) Migration practice with multiple roles across our EMEA practice looking for Mainframe Migration Consultants and Architects.
https://www.amazon.jobs/en/business_categories/amazon-web-services?cmpid=SMOTAW101747B
"If you were a young kid, would you be willing to spend time to
learn mainframe? "
So coming at it from the other direction... Mainframers are willing to learn AWS... but they often get passed over for the usual reasons... "Dinosaurs", "ageism", etc.
That said, the industry is catering to the "kids". IBM has been adding IDE's and such to the mainframe for a while now. But that won't get it.
The pay, perks, and status have to be competitive to get the kids to learn it. And then IDE's and such wouldn't be necessary.
Anyway, for most mainframers... jumping to AWS is a mirage since there no real on ramp.
If you were a young kid, would you be willing to spend time to
learn mainframe?
"For some reason their HR people must have received order to ignore the mainframers "
They aren't looking for "just mainframers"... they really want folks able to map from-mainframes-to-AWS...
As I've stated profusely in other threads... the average mainframer doesn't get the opportunity to do that... they are left to rot... the kids were given the new stuff, and refuse to learn mainframe...
So AWS has a problem finding these people...
Mainframers aren't trained on AWS... The kids with AWS turn their noses up on mainframes... and AWS isn't building these people...
I know one or two that have made that transition... older mainframers that jumped to distributed platforms decades ago and got lots of AWS certification... but they are rare...
So, same old chicken-and-egg problem, with no on ramp.
That is to say, no one to scalp from elsewhere that got trained and experienced on someone else's training dollars.
And well... few full time working IT folks on either side of the MF/AWS divide have the bandwidth to cram-learn the other platform and get the certs...
I have applied twice to AWS mainframe modernization jobs. I have tons of experience with mainframe and did NOT get any response back from Amazon. For some reason their HR people must have received order to ignore the mainframers
"Eventually AWS and Microsoft will have to give in and help experienced Mainframers get onboard for the inevitable migrations off Z. They'll figure it out. These clients have deep pockets. "
I forwarded the question over to them, both HR and an Exec... got no answers from either.
Eventually AWS and Microsoft will have to give in and help experienced Mainframers get onboard for the inevitable migrations off Z. They'll figure it out. These clients have deep pockets.
Sure, of course they're looking... LOL!
Seriously... how many highly skilled mainframers are going to have AWS skills and visca versa?
MF -> Amazon... same old conundrum... can't get the job without the experience, can't get the experience without the job... where's the entry point?
good deal, sc--w this client/server mess