The IBM i platform, known for its stability and reliability, has served many organizations faithfully for decades. However, a growing concern is clouding this stability: a looming skill gap. As seasoned IBM i professionals reach retirement age, a critical shortage of new talent is emerging, leaving many organizations scrambling to fill the void.
The Two Sides of the Coin
Retiring Workforce: The IBM i community boasts a loyal user base, many of whom have dedicated their careers to the platform. However, with age comes retirement, and a significant portion of this workforce is approaching that stage. This exodus leaves behind a wealth of knowledge and experience that’s difficult to replicate.
Talent Shortage: Unfortunately, the influx of new talent isn’t keeping pace. The platform’s unique nature and perceived complexity deter many potential candidates, leading to a limited pool of skilled professionals. This scarcity drives up salaries and makes it harder for organizations to find qualified individuals.
The Impact on Businesses
This skill gap isn’t just an HR concern; it has real-world implications for businesses:
Maintenance and Support: The lack of skilled personnel can lead to difficulties maintaining and supporting existing IBM i systems. This can result in downtime, security vulnerabilities, and hindered innovation.
Modernization Efforts: Organizations struggling to find talent may face challenges modernizing their IBM i systems. This can leave them lagging behind competitors who leverage the platform’s latest capabilities.
Knowledge Transfer: As experienced professionals retire, their valuable knowledge and insights risk being lost. This can create a knowledge gap that hinders smooth operations and makes it difficult to train new hires.
Navigating the Challenge
While the situation is concerning, organizations have several options to minimize its impact. They can invest in training for their existing staff, scout for new talent in a competitive market, modernize their environment, or migrate to another platform. Yet, these conventional approaches may not be optimal, especially without leveraging the expertise of a third party with IBM i skills.
But there’s another way…
Partner with Mid-Range Computer Group for expert IBM i managed services. Let us handle the technical details while you focus on your business goals.
Here’s why Mid-Range is your perfect partner:
- 35+ years of experience: We’ve seen it all and know how to keep your IBM i systems running smoothly.
- 500+ person-years of expertise: Our team of specialists is unmatched in their knowledge and skills.
- Focus on resilience: We mitigate risks, ensure compliance, and keep your systems secure.
- Best-in-class monitoring: Our proprietary tool, The Hive, provides 24/7/365 insights.
- Cost-effective solutions: We optimize your systems for performance and affordability.
- Full-service approach: We offer everything from hardware and software to disaster recovery and managed services.
Ready to ditch the talent hunt and unlock the full potential of your IBM i systems?
You can start by downloading our free solution brief and discover how Mid-Range can help:
- Extend the life of your existing systems.
- Modernize for emerging business opportunities.
- Achieve high availability and disaster recovery.
- Optimize your IBM i for cost and efficiency.
- Operate with confidence and peace of mind.
Take the Next Step
Mid-Range has been supporting IBM i and IBM AIX for more than 35 years. By working with Mid-Range to manage your IBM Power systems, you can leave the technical details to us while you focus on the business.
