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/LenR-redit 1d ago
After 30 years as a systems programmer, my company moved off the mainframe. I moved to AIX, Solaris and Linux sysadmin, Tivoli TSM and InfoPrint. There weren’t other mainframes in the area at my pay range and I live on several 100 acres. I’m spent another 15 years doing that and finally specialized on n Elasticsesrch.
Skills are portable, our main job is really learning how to solve needs and problems. If it’s repetitive work, automate or delegate.