Estrella Mountain Community College's Instructional Computing division is now offering IBM Mainframe Z-Series online training. The college was approached by IBM to create courses for individuals who want to work with IBM mainframe computers. Estrella Mountain was one of a select few colleges chosen by IBM to offer the program which accesses a remote mainframe housed at Marist College in New York so students can gain real-world experience.
Sharon McFadden, IBM's program manager of college and university computing programs, emphasized the importance of educating our youth in this industry. "There is a strong need for talented, well-trained people to enter the large systems, or mainframe workforce. This segment of the technology workforce is now significantly comprised of baby boomers that are nearing retirement. Further, over the years, the study of mainframe technology has been de-emphasized in most college and university computing programs," she continued. "To offset this gap, we need to work more closely with colleges and universities to update curricula in order to develop a sold skills pipeline of talent, and we are happy to work with Estrella Mountain to do just that"
All materials for the CIS 181 IBM Mainframes ZOS Level I and CIS 281 Mainframes ZOS Level II courses offered online at Estrella Mountain are provided by IBM, so there are no books to buy. These courses will assist students in acquiring the skills necessary to be successful on the IBM Proficiency Exam. Students who pass the proficiency exam are given the opportunity to submit their resumes on IBM's internal job posting site, boosting their chances of obtaining a position in this profession.
Since Estrella Mountain is the only institution nation-wide to offer a for-credit IBM Mainframe online program, it has garnered a great deal of interest. The college has already been contacted by other companies and organizations valley wide who would like their employees to train using the online program, including AVNET, Sirrus, SRP, American Express, and state and county agencies.
Estrella Mountain is also working to meet the needs of the CAD (computer aided drafting) industry. Starting this spring semester, the college will offer CAD courses online. The courses will consist of videos and step-by-step teaching and learning so that students will be well-supported for the duration of the course. Students who enroll in the CAD online courses will be able to purchase the required software for about $150, whereas, it would normally cost considerably more.For more information on what our Instructional Computing division has to offer, please contact Dr. Valerie Akuna at 623-935-8079.
For information on how to register for the IBM Mainframe Z-Series or CAD online courses, call 623-935-8888.