IBM wants to rejuvenate mainframe workforce
IBM has been working to rejuvenating the venerable mainframe, endowing them with mainstream computing technology, and now it's trying to rejuvenate the mainframe work force as well.
IBM and SHARE, a Big Blue user group, announced an effort Monday called zNextGen to train a new crop of mainframe experts. The name is a play on the zSeries name for the mainframe line. In the program, would-be mainframes can take courses at more than 150 universities, win programming prizes, become interns under the tutelage of SHARE members and read a mainframe blog.
IBM and SHARE announced the plan at the 50th anniversary meeting of the user group, which was founded just two years after Big Blue released its first computer. IBM has pledged to help train 20,000 professionals in mainframe operations by 2010.
Stephen Shankland writes about a wide range of technology and products, but has a particular focus on browsers and digital photography. He joined CNET News in 1998 and since then also has covered Google, Yahoo, servers, supercomputing, Linux and open-source software, and science. E-mail Stephen, or follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/stshank. 
