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Filling the RPG Talent Gap: Creating Hiring Strategies

Pave the way for new talent with imPower Technologies’ self-paced online courses and workshops

Finding qualified RPG developers is becoming increasingly difficult as experienced professionals retire and take decades of institutional knowledge with them, while fewer IT professionals are exposed to the IBM i in colleges. But what if the solution isn't only in the traditional job market? 

 

Instead of focusing solely on experienced RPG developers, IBM i shops can tap into unconventional hiring practices and invest in growing talent from within or seek new sources. By exploring options like internal hires interested in learning RPG, college grads from diverse coding backgrounds and mid-career professionals eager for a change, organizations can cultivate a new generation of IBM i experts.

Explore the top three places to look for RPG developers: 

Internal Hires

Identify individuals within other departments who exhibit an interest in IT. Your existing employees possess a deep understanding of your business operations and are likely familiar with your computer systems, providing valuable insights into essential business processes. Equipping these employees with the skills necessary for IBM i development not only addresses the talent shortage but also underscores your dedication to nurturing internal talent and cultivating an environment that encourages ongoing learning and personal growth.

Recent College Graduates

Recent IT graduates are enthusiastic about launching their careers and possess proficiency in various programming languages. These young developers can introduce fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to your existing systems. Leveraging their contemporary programming skills, they can collaborate with your current development team to become acquainted with your business applications. Additionally, they can undergo formal training to become proficient in the IBM i platform, contributing to the modernization and evolution of your IT infrastructure.

Professionals Looking for a Career Change

Recruiting and training professionals transitioning from different careers to enter the field of IT is another effective strategy. Such candidates often bring a diverse set of skills and experiences to the table. With online training from imPower Technologies and mentorship, these career changers can quickly become proficient in IBM i development, leveraging their unique perspectives to drive innovation and adaptability within the organization.

Apprenticeships and new-hire training programs are an excellent way to quickly get new or internal hires up to speed on IBM i. By offering hands-on learning opportunities, these programs allow trainees to build practical skills while working directly with experienced developers. This approach not only accelerates their learning curve but also helps bridge the knowledge gap in RPG and IBM i environments. Partner with experts in IBM i and RPG training like imPower Technologies to manage the training program with online, self-paced courses. 

Apprenticeships and new hire training programs are an excellent way to quickly get new or internal hires up to speed on IBM i. By offering hands-on learning opportunities, these programs allow trainees to build practical skills while working directly with experienced developers. This approach not only accelerates their learning curve but also helps bridge the knowledge gap in RPG and IBM i environments. Partner with experts in IBM i and RPG training like imPower Technologies to manage the training program with online, self-paced courses.

Online Courses Expertly Designed With Your Needs in Mind

imPower Technologies supports these strategic hiring practices through self-paced, online courses. Whether your new hire or internal recruit has some programming experience or none, our courses serve as an effective way to educate and inspire your team. 

 

Designed by Jim Buck with over 35 years of IT experience, imPower’s courses maximize proficiency and emphasize accountability through videos, quizzes, lab assignments and progress reports. Both employers and past students rave about imPower’s courses:

TESTIMONIALS:
STUDENT
Dillon Low, RPG Developer, SGC Foodservice
When I first started this programming course, I had absolutely no background in coding. The concepts seemed overwhelming, and I honestly didn’t know where to begin. But with Jim’s hands-on help, I was able to transform my understanding of programming and complete the course with much more confidence.

The weekly Wednesday meetings were very helpful, even if you didn’t have any questions on anything you were working on, you still could get a glimpse of the future of what you will be working with and for me that was neat and intimidating. The intimidating part is it’s all new and looks extremely complex, the neat part was when I understood what was previously intimidating a few weeks earlier.

Jim’s teaching style stood out to me, especially because he didn’t just give me the answers. Instead, he would ask thoughtful, probing questions that forced me to think deeply about the problem at hand. This approach helped me develop problem-solving skills that I’ll carry with me long after the course is over.

What I appreciated most was how Jim made me realize that it’s okay to struggle, as long as you’re learning and growing from the experience. His guidance helped me to solve problems independently, and I ended up understanding the material far better than I ever thought possible.

Thanks to Jim’s support and the Wednesday meetings, I’ve gone from knowing nothing about programming to completing the course with a strong foundation and the confidence to continue learning. I couldn’t have done it without his guidance.
Student
Steven Davis, The H.T. Hackney Co., IT—Software Tester & Support
The world of ILE RPG and IBM i is in a unique spot: Demand for new talent is high but shortages of developers make it hard to devote hours to training the next generation. Thankfully, Jim and the team at imPower have stepped into this role. The assignments each week are challenging enough to feel like you are learning, but without becoming frustrating. Each assignment challenges that, due to the nature of programming, often end up being unique.

Jim helps you learn the process of designing and laying out your programs and troubleshooting your problems, so you learn to think like a developer. Jim was very responsive to my many questions, and the continuing meetings on Wednesdays are extremely helpful and valuable. Jim isn't trying to trick you on assignments, but is interested in your long-term success even after the class, the characteristic of a true teacher. Besides, how often can you say 'He literally wrote the book on this stuff!' about someone? I'm grateful to be able to have taken courses with Jim and that my company chose to enroll me. The positive influence it has had on my career cannot be stated enough.
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imPower’s Online Programming Courses

imPower Technologies developed self-paced, instructor-led courses get new and seasoned developers up to speed in no time.
From the foundations…
  • IBM i Concepts & Operations: 
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Comprehensive introduction to the fundamentals of the IBM i platform—covering system architecture, jobs and processes, libraries and objects, security, and basic database concepts.​
  • Programming in ILE RPG:
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Real-world examples, free‐format RPG techniques, module/procedure usage and hands-on assignments—to prepare developers for effective RPG development on IBM i systems.
…to modern skills
  • {RESTful} APIs on IBM i—NEW:
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Developers are guided through building and consuming RESTful APIs—including REST, HTTP, JSON, OpenAPI, IBM IWS and OAuth.
  • RPG Evolution: Modular Mastery with Modern Tools:
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RPG Evolution: Modular Mastery with Modern Tools Use IBM’s new development tools effectively and adopt modular programming with modules, procedures and service programs for modern IBM i applications.
  • SQL Queries Workshop:
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SQL Queries Workshop Covering data selection, joins, aggregation and use of IBM Access Client Solutions Run SQL Scripts—to turn table data into meaningful insights.

Case Studies

Case Study #1: Manhattan Life

ManhattanLife, a longstanding insurance company, faced a challenge as newer generations of IT professionals lacked familiarity with IBM systems. To bridge this gap, they devised a strategy to train and mentor their staff in IBM systems and business practices. imPower Technologies provided comprehensive training in RPG and RDi, enabling both new and seasoned programmers to acquire crucial skills. The digital course included video instruction, quizzes and lab exercises, resulting in a 100% training completion rate. This approach not only increased employee productivity but also fostered teamwork and communication. ManhattanLife plans to continue this training model as they expand, ensuring their competitiveness in the marketplace.
Our employees perform all kinds of things they couldn’t do before. Previously, they didn’t even know what an IBM i was; now they’re able to be very productive coders on the system.” —David Parsons, Senior VP of IT at ManhattanLife

Case Study #2: Burgers’ Smokehouse

Burgers’ Smokehouse, a meat product manufacturing company, faced challenges in hiring and training IBM i RPG developers due to the rural location of their business. They turned to imPower Technologies for a solution, enrolling their new developers in comprehensive IBM i and RPG programming courses. The hands-on approach, structured curriculum and accountability measures proved effective, with both developers completing the course and gaining proficiency in RPG and IBM i. The training not only prepared them for RPG development but also enhanced their skills beyond what was expected. Allan Mortenson, VP of information technology, found imPower's training invaluable and highly recommends it for new RPG developers.

It is difficult to put an ROI on the training classes, but I can tell from the results that there is a definite positive result that could not be achieved without the imPower training,” Mortenson shared. “imPower has made [my new recruits] viable, productive RPGLE developers that have the ability to do just about anything on the IBM i.”