What? Being born in 1941 disqualifies me? I guess the editor thinks I should be retired. :-)
Regards, Richard Schuh > -----Original Message----- > From: The IBM z/VM Operating System > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Gabe Goldberg > Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2008 1:00 PM > To: IBMVM@LISTSERV.UARK.EDU > Subject: Query: Mainframers look forward and back > > (Sorry for cross-posting...) > > I'm writing an article for CA about baby-boom mainframers > (that's me too, my first job out of college in 1968 was with > IBM in Poughkeepsie) about what we're all doing and seeing > and facing in our careers. > > Do people plan to work as long as they're able? Because of > enjoyable jobs? From necessity? For other reasons? > > Are folks being downsized/outsourced? > > Retiring voluntarily or otherwise? When projects finish or > ... certain ages are reached? Or companies migrate off the > mainframe? Or youngsters are available for lower salaries? > > Regarding "dump the mainframe projects" -- have you stayed > with a company after migrating to another platform? How has > that worked out? > Have you seen "dump" projects fail or simply continue forever > with mainframes chugging along productively? > > Has the skill set required for mainframe work changed during > your career? How have tools evolved to support skills required? > > What are boomer mainframers doing in retirement? Are you > taking new jobs and "double dipping"? Becoming consultants? > Trainers? Writers? With former employers? In locations you've > worked or moving? > > Or starting new careers in other fields? > > With decades of experience and perspective -- and considering > contradictory trends of organizations migrating to other > platforms AND the general resurgence of the mainframe -- what > recommendations are offered for the mainframe's future? > > Are younger-generation mainframe staffers joining your > companies? Have you helped recruit any (including family > members!)? How are they integrated into your data centers? > Are there inter-generational issues (training, collaboration, > communication, work habits, whatever)? What should employers > do to smooth the process? > > Have you worked for younger bosses/managers? What's that been > like? Are there challenges communicating mainframe benefits, > mindset, practices to them? > > For reference, Wikipedia defines baby boomers as being born > between 1946 and 1964. So if you served in WW I or had your > first legal drink celebrating Y2K, someone else will have to > document your life. > > People who've REALLY left the mainframe arena may not be on > these lists > -- so feel free to forward this with colleagues you've stayed > in touch with! > > Please reply to me directly as well as to the list, so I see > responses separate from the daily digest. Relatively brief > comments are best so I can ask follow-up questions if necessary. > > The two articles -- for z/Journal and Mainframe Executive -- > about which I queried the lists about mainframe education are > nearly done, will appear early next year, I think. > > Thanks to people who responded for those, and who respond now! > > -- > Gabriel Goldberg, Computers and Publishing, Inc. > (703) 204-0433 > 3401 Silver Maple Place, Falls Church, VA 22042 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] >
