Mainframe skills gain traction with younger techies

Millennials make up more than half of the mainframe workforce as generative AI workloads proliferate on the platform, according to a BMC study.

Dive Brief:

• Mainframe workforce demographics are shifting as veteran engineers retire and younger technologists join the ranks, according to BMC. The IT service management provider surveyed 1,000 mainframe technologists for its 20th annual report.
• Just over half of respondents identified as millennials, up from 36% seven years ago. Generation Z mainframers comprised 15% of this year’s respondents, a jump from just 1% in 2018.
• “Twenty years ago, the conversation around the mainframe was often about its longevity,” John McKenny, SVP and GM of Intelligent Z optimization and transformation at BMC, said in an announcement accompanying the report. "That narrative has completely transformed … A new generation of professionals is embracing the platform, driving innovation and leveraging AI technologies.”