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Back to School With Power Systems

Already a powerful force for the IBM i community, IBM’s Academic Initiative is expanding across Power Systems. That’s good news for the many companies that rely on AIX. As the baby boomer generation begins to retire, companies can help fill those future job openings by fostering the next IT generation through the efforts of the Academic Initiative.

"The Academic Initiative is alive and growing. Since IBM unified System i and System p in early April, we’re expanding the program across our Power Systems family,” says Linda Grigoleit, program manager for the Power Systems Academic Initiative.

The Academic Initiative is designed to bring schools, clients and business partners together to cultivate the skills that future employees need when entering the workforce. “Students, by and large, aren't exposed to enterprise computing,” Grigoleit says. “The Academic Initiative is focused on computers that run business, which is very different from the PC world.”

The workplace environment has changed dramatically since the baby boomers entered the workforce. Many boomers didn’t study IT in school, but came to it through entry-level positions or other avenues. Boomers were mentored on the job. But now, Grigoleit says, “Our clients tell us they don't have the time to do that. They need people who are experienced and can hit the ground running." The Academic Initiative is geared toward educating students so they’re equipped with the right skills as they walk through the door the first day of their new jobs.

How it Works

To accomplish that, the Academic Initiative provides tools for schools; facilitates collaboration between colleges, universities and technical schools and the business community; and educates students, counselors and parents that IT jobs exist, now and in the future in their very own communities. Grigoleit’s team tells schools and students, “We've got clients and business partners right in your community with jobs. IT is a growing area as more and more aspects of business are impacted by it.” The Academic Initiative is “a great opportunity for students to learn more about IBM Power Systems so they have expanded job opportunities when they graduate.”

The Academic Initiative provides three basic elements for schools: access to technology, opportunities for faculty education, and course content or curriculum. Through the program schools are eligible for special educational lease and purchase offerings if they want their own Power Systems server on campus, or they can access an IBM hub remotely at no cost. Schools can also download thousands of complementary IBM software products.

IBM has developed content that faculty can use in teaching courses. As part of that element, the Academic Initiative has been working with the IBM Education Team. “We're making available, through a downloadable course repository on the Academic Initiative Web site, IBM Power Systems educational material that we use in our IBM classes,” Grigoleit says.

Additionally, the Academic Initiative sees that the faculty has ample opportunity for receiving education from IBM. A just-introduced education coupon for professors lets them attend any IBM classroom-based class in North American and most European countries at no cost. “It's another way that professors can receive education on Power Systems technology,” she says.

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