Mainframe Club
Learn the platform behind the world's banks, airlines and payments.
Why mainframes
The quiet backbone of global business
IBM Z mainframe technology powers the world's biggest businesses. Most people never see a mainframe, but they use one every day: when they use an ATM or credit card, book a flight or hotel, or shop online.
Runs real money
Banks, card networks, airlines and retailers run their core transactions on IBM Z.
A niche that gets you hired
Mainframe skills lead to jobs at banks, airlines, hotels, large corporations and IBM. Few students have them, so you stand out.
Modern, not legacy
Today's Z runs Linux, containers, Python, Java, Ansible and AI inference right next to the data.
What we do
Hands-on, every session
No slides-only meetups. Every member gets their own account on a real IBM Z system through IBM Z Xplore, and we learn by doing.
Workshops
z/OS, TSO/ISPF, JCL, COBOL, REXX, USS, Python and Linux on Z.
Study groups
Work through IBM Z Xplore challenges together and earn digital badges.
Hackathons
Build projects with Zowe, VS Code and real mainframe datasets.
Careers
Talks from people in the industry, resume reviews and internship leads.
Learning path
From zero to mainframe-ready
We learn on IBM Z Xplore: videos, quizzes and hands-on exercises on a real IBM Z system. You need no prior experience, only a laptop.
Concepts badge
Mainframe basics on a real system: your ZID, VS Code, datasets and your first JCL. This is where every member starts.
Advanced badge
Deeper, real-world challenges. Concepts plus Advanced gives you a skill set you can take into a mainframe career.
Keep going
New challenges are added year-round, plus career fairs, webinars and IBM Z events to find the path that fits you.
Resources
Where to learn more
Courses, docs and tools we recommend, by topic. The same list is in Discord: type /resources.
Gallery
From our sessions
FAQ
Questions people ask
Do I need to know anything about mainframes?
No. Most members start from zero. If you can use a terminal or VS Code you are already ahead.
Does it cost anything?
No. Club membership is free, and IBM Z Xplore gives students free access to a real mainframe system.
Which degree or year can join?
Any degree, any year. Mainframe skills are useful for CS and IT students, but also for anyone heading into banking, finance or enterprise IT.
What do I get out of it?
Hands-on experience on a real enterprise system, IBM digital badges you can put on LinkedIn and your resume, and a network of people interested in the same field.
Community
Join us on Discord
The IBM Z & Mainframes server is where members ask questions, share what they're learning and hear about events first. New events and resources from this site are posted there automatically.
Join the server
Open the invite and accept. All you need is a free Discord account.
Say hi
Introduce yourself in #general-mainframe and tell us what you want to learn.
Ask the bot
Type / in any channel to look up resources, events and mainframe terms.
Channels
Slash commands
Join Mainframe Club
Free and open to every RMIT student, any degree, any year. Sign up with your student details so we can register the club with RMIT, then come and say hi on Discord.
You're in, !
Next step: join our Discord server. That's where members chat and every event is announced.
Join the Discord →