I Drove 4 Hours A Day To Attend A Mainframe Conference and It Changed My Life.
At the end of February, I had the opportunity to experience my first Share mainframe conference . As a newcomer to the mainframe ecosystem I was excited to attend and participate in the #ShareFTW extravaganza. I was pleasantly surprised to experience as much as I did. It changed my life.
Before we get into my experience at Share, I want to thank my mainframe mentors and heroes. Thank you, Reg Harbeck, Misty Decker, Darren Surch, Ray Mullens, Phil Young, Chad Rikansrud, Cameron Seay Ph.D, and Scott Redmond McFall. Without these individuals much of my mainframe journey would not be as enriched as it is. I have learned a great deal about the mainframe from these professionals and to receive nuggets of their wisdom is a true gift.
Here Are Five Reasons to Attend the Next Share Conference Even If You Are New to The Mainframe.
0. WOMEN ROCK THIS CONFERENCE
I was pleased at the amount of women technologist that I saw at every talk and event I attended. There were women technologist from every mainframe space and spanning the career life cycle. I met some amazing professionals like Martha McConaghy, Luisa Martinez, Rosalind Radcliffe, Marie Godfrey, Nakesha Newbury, Theresa Hans, Linda Hagedorn, Karla Houser, and Sai Gujja.
I had the opportunity to take in the information provided by the Women in IT Panel: The Technical and Business Vision of Women Creating the Mainframe Industry of Tomorrow. There were so many good ideas that were exchanged during this discussion that it needs its own blog entry. I think I will write about it soon.
How it changed my life: Meeting these women and attending the panel was the encouragement boost that I needed to keep moving forward in my plan and goals. Everyone was kind, welcoming, and answered my questions. After all the interaction I felt as if I received a key to unlock each gate that I may encounter along my mainframe journey. I was deeply encouraged.
- SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS GIVE HANDS ON CLASSES
I did not take any hands-on classes, but; I did peek into a classroom where individuals were learning about Devops and Analytics. I could feel the hum of innovation through the door. I wish I could have taken the class. The next Share that I attend I must take a hands-on lab.
How it changed my life: I must touch the technology to do the technology. I was a little sad that I didn’t take part in the lab events, but; it gives me something to look forward to the next time I attend. Although the participants I saw were all practicing professionals, they wanted to know and discover more about their areas of technology. I am adding to my achievement list to take a few classes the next time that I attend Share.
2. THE KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE
If you are looking to learn something new, revisit legacy, enhance your product, or build a skill, #ShareFTW was the place to do it. There were sessions on almost every mainframe subject one could think of. A few at the front of my mind are:
a. Z Mainframe Workforce Training in the 21st Century presented by Darren Surch
b. The Enemy Within presented by John Crossno
c. Women in IT Panel: The Technical and Business Vision of Women Creating the Mainframe Industry of Tomorrow |Moderator: Jeanne Glass|Panelist: Jennifer Chisik, Marie Godfrey, Susan Hagar, Amanda Hendley, April Hickel, Rebecca Levesque, Luisa Martinez, Keelia Estrada Moeller, Calline Sanchez, Lisa Wood
d. The Elite Squad|Moderator: Luisa Martinez|Panelist: Dan Jast, Nakesha Newbury, Nicholas Marion, Shahriar Mahib, Theresa Hans
How it changed my life: I always try to look at the big picture and see the pathways and options I have. Attending these sessions allowed for me to explore new roads and think outside of the box. I treasure moments like these because I immediately write down ideas which I can further meditate on. Its life changing because I am inspired to do more and to share my thoughts. For me this is powerful.
3. THE VENDORS
If you want to know what’s new, hot, and happening in products and services the vendor area is where you want to be. This is where my eyes were opened to all the things that are possible within the mainframe ecosystem. I felt like Neo when he first experienced the Matrix. I couldn’t believe my eyes. There were rows and rows of vendor booths and they were staffed with practitioners that had knowledge to share. I was super excited and full of nervous energy discovering all the things. Being here reminded me of Defcon27 and all the amazing things that happened for me in the vendor area. The vendor area has many things to offer.
How it changed my life: The vendor area was my happy place. It had plenty of activity, people asking questions, information gains, and learning. The vendors that I spoke with gave me information to take home, some offered me learning resources, others offered job leads, and I made connections that many professionals have to wait a lifetime to make. I’d like to thank the following vendors for allowing me to ask questions, encouraging my learning journey, and for opening my eyes to a world of discovery:
Compuware, Hostbridge Technology, Interskill, Software AG, IBM, Zetaly, Model9, Pivotor/EPS Strategies, Pro-Tech, HCL Technologies, SecureAgent Software, OpenLegacy, and IN-COM.
4. THE NETWORKING EVENTS
The networking events at Share allow for industry professionals to meet and greet in a relaxed environment. You can possibly have a nice conversation about your favorite things with a group of people that you don’t know (me). The networking events are awesome because I met professionals that are actively driving the world’s tech systems. This was both encouraging and motivating.
How it changed my life: The networking events were life changing because I saw that mainframe professionals are a true family. They all have different roles, but they can work together to build and scale their projects, products, and services for the overall good. This was encouraging to me because mainframe pros are people too and what they do is important on a world wide scale. I appreciated this vibe of individuals simply being people and enjoying the community bonds which they made.
So, there you have it. If you are new to the mainframe and you are considering attending a Share event, I encourage you to attend. You will experience learning, networking, and growth beyond your wildest dreams. In my opinion, it was an immersive experience of all thing’s mainframe. I met many professionals, welcomed with open arms, exposed to new information I didn’t know, and exchanged ideas that could very well be the answers to the learning gaps and diversity in many areas of STEM and careers. This was my first Share conference and I will not ever forget this awesome experience. I attended Share and you should too.
