The STORK programme

Systems & Technical Operations Related Knowledge

The definitive technical education programme for new and trainee z/OS Systems Professionals

What is the STORK programme?

If you are planning to develop your own team of Systems Programmers and Technical Support Specialists, then this is the training programme for you.

RSM develops training programmes for both groups and for individuals. Which do you need?

Originally only available for on-site presentation for individual organizations, the RSM STORK technical education programme has now been extended so that it offers a fully structured, (and at the same time, highly flexible) training path for organisations with just one or two potential candidates.

The 'rolling streams' concept

In the past, a major difficulty when trying to plan an individual's career development and personal training path has been finding the right course at the right time. Not a huge problem if you are a large installation with several people needing to cover the same ground, because the option of having a course run on-site is open to you. But an on-site course for one or two people? With the best will in the world on the part of your supplier or training partner, it will be a costly option.

To resolve this, RSM has developed the rolling streams concept. Rolling schedules of courses (each one equally useful as a standalone course) that offer paths that follow a logical progression of relevance and complexity have now been set up. The courses in the rolling streams are spaced apart, allowing attendees the opportunity to use their newly-learned skills in the workplace, before moving on to the next stage and subject.

Rolling streams also give course attendees the option of either fast-tracking or spreading their training over a longer period, which offers the added bonus of allowing participants to consolidate each stage of their skills development with 'real world' experience and project work in the business environment.


Who is it for?

The individual courses that make up the programme are suitable for all z/OS technical personnel with particular training/education requirements. However, the STORK rolling streams are structured and scheduled so that a wide variety of individual training plans can be created.

Working in systems programming, operations analysis, storage management, security administration or any other function within the production environment of a z/OS Data Centre? If you are a technician progressing in any of these disciplines, or a manager with responsibility for them, this technical education programme is the one for you!

The z/OS Systems Programmer's STORK programme

Below is an example of a typical STORK programme for a z/OS Systems Programmer, the courses grouped into the three stages – Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced.

Foundation level courses

IBM Z Systems Environment - Introduced & Explained (2 days)

TSO/ISPF Users' Workshop (2 days)

z/OS JCL Workshop Part 1 - Foundation Skills (3 days)

z/OS Concepts & Facilities (2 days)

VSAM Essentials (3 days)

REXX Programming under TSO/ISPF (3 days)

z/OS & JES2 Operations (2 days)

Parallel Sysplex Concepts & Facilities (2 days)

Understanding RACF (1 day)


Intermediate level courses

z/OS UNIX System Services Part 1 - Concepts & Facilities (2 days)

SMP/E for Installation & Maintenance (4 days)

Using z/OS Assembler (5 days)

z/OS System Anatomy Part 1 - zArchitecture (4 days)

Parallel Sysplex: Operations, Troubleshooting & Recovery (3 days)

JES2 Implementation and Customisation (3 days)

Using HCD for I/O Configuration (3 days)


Advanced level courses

Troubleshooting z/OS Operational Problems (3 days)

z/OS System Anatomy Part 2 - z/OS Infrastructure & Services (5 days)

Storage Management Administration & Exploitation (4 days)

z/OS UNIX System Services Part 2 – Configuration & Implementation (2 days)

z/OS Performance & Tuning (3 days)


 

The two-year OpenTicket™

RSM's OpenTicket™ scheme gives clients the opportunity to set up a training schedule for IBM mainframe technicians that is both structured and flexible, as well as being highly cost effective.

OpenTicket™ guarantees a named delegate unlimited access to public presentations of the constituent courses of the STORK programme during its validity (normally two years).  The holder can also opt to attend additional courses during this period (subject to availability), at a 50% fee reduction.

OpenTicket™ validity and fees

The cost of an OpenTicket™ varies, depending on the career plan of the individual.  At the top end of the scale, a z/OS systems programmer's full STORK programme is some sixty days.  For trainee technicians in other disciplines, for example storage management, shift operations, operations analysis etc., the core of their programme will be relatively smaller, and so will the cost of their OpenTicket™.
To find out more about the OpenTicket™ option, contact RSM at courses@rsm.co.uk or phone: +44 (0)1494 45 13 13.


© RSM Technology 2022