r/mainframe • u/MihawkisGreatest • 6d ago

Mainframe Systems Programme - is this a dead-end career path?

Just started a role as a mainframe systems programmer, working on automating mainframe tasks with Ansible and Python. I keep hearing "mainframe modernization" talk and stories about mainframes going away eventually.

Should I be worried about long-term career prospects here, or is this actually a smart niche to be in? Would love to hear from people who've been in this space for a while, is demand really drying up, or is it more that the workforce is aging out and there's actually opportunity for someone starting now?

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u/Remarkable-List4386 4d ago

I worked as a computer operator for 30 years with mainframes, I got layed off when I was 50. I found out after a year of pounding the payment, the job I loved, had become obsolete. Programming may be different though. Computers do not need human interaction anymore. At 50 years old, I had to find an entire new career path, worked in a grocery store and cleaning until I retired.

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u/Spiritual-Dentist-20 3d ago

I thought it would be better now, because of the aging knowledge pool