Sugam Kafle
Mainframe Analyst at a Leading Financial InstitutionStarting a lifelong journey of learning on IBM Z
Starting a lifelong journey of learning on IBM Z
“The people and the community that drive advocacy and awareness for IBM Z are a passionate group. They enjoy what they do, and I think that was a huge source of inspiration for me.”
Sugam Kafle is on a lifelong journey of learning. “I once heard that the end of education is character,” Sugam explains, “and character isn’t achieved, it’s built. So, there is no end to learning. Continually learning is the only way we can succeed.”
For Sugam, that journey began in earnest at the University of North Texas, where he was first introduced to mainframe computing. From that point forward, his curiosity led him to seek out mentors who could teach him more about mainframe computing, join computing clubs in his school, and eventually become an IBM Z® Ambassador. Sugam also took advantage of IBM’s rich online education opportunities, particularly IBM Z Xplore learning platform, which uses a challenge-based approach to teach students and early tenure professionals about IBM Z. As he recalls, IBM Z Xplore was a very important platform that helped him get started and learn a lot about IBM Z.
Following a desire to innovateToday, Sugam is a mainframe analyst for the Operating Systems Support team at a leading international financial institution. His role is to help maintain the institution’s IT operating systems including software installations and upgrades, ensuring
Read moreToday, Sugam is a mainframe analyst for the Operating Systems Support team at a leading international financial institution. His role is to help maintain the institution’s IT operating systems including software installations and upgrades, ensuring operations run smoothly and reliably. It has allowed Sugam to gain valuable experience with (and a deeper appreciation for) the company’s IBM z16 platform.
For Sugam, one of the most exciting, standout features of the z16 is its on-chip AI inferencing: integrated AI capabilities that are built into the hardware of the z16 platform. These built-in AI capabilities allow Sugam and his colleagues to bring more innovation into their operations through real-time data insights and AI-driven models for predictions and fraud detection.
But the IBM z16 innovation doesn’t stop at AI - Sugam is quick to point out that the new z16 systems are not just more powerful, but also more sustainable. IBM has been able to reduce the platform’s carbon footprint, which has in turn been enabling companies and industries to bring down their own carbon footprint levels and achieve their sustainability goals.
Becoming part of a passionate communityWhile Sugam has a growing appreciation for the IBM Z platform, it was the people and strong sense of community that caught his attention. As he got introduced to mainframes, he noticed that the people who worked on mainframes not only liked what they did, but they also liked talking about what they did. Sugam recalls, “The people and the community that drive advocacy and awareness for IBM Z are a passionate group. They enjoy what they do, and I think that was a huge source of inspiration for me.”
For those who would like to follow Sugam’s career path, he has advice on where to start: IBM Z Xplore. It’s the perfect introduction to IBM Z as it introduces the learner to set up all the software required to connect to and access the mainframe, and then it also has basic challenges that help you learn how to work with the mainframe.
The ticket to career advancementSugam sees plenty of opportunity for today’s mainframe analysts like himself. He is excited to see there is demand for talent that can work on this technology. Large banks, insurance companies, and healthcare, to name a few, are industries that rely on the power, reliability, availability, and security that the mainframe offers. In other words, mainframes power the core industries of our economy.
Looking ahead, Sugam is encouraged by how much he still has to learn. With a mantra of “always be upskilling,” he is currently studying the REXX (Restructured Extended Executor) scripting language on the IBM Z platform, which will help him as he looks to bring automation to the mainframe environment. As a z16 user, Sugam gets to use modern programming languages like Java, C++, and Python to build applications, just like you would on any other platform. Having been part of IBM’s Student Ambassador program and now working on mainframes, he feels like he has a ticket to accelerated technological advancement.
What will you design and build with IBM Z?
