“Mainframe is the heart of the bank”

Johan Eiworth, Mainframe Developer at SEB Kort, works on developing and maintaining systems that are central to the bank’s operations and services. He is also part of a virtual team working to modernise the mainframe system, with the goal of making it no more difficult to work with this platform than with any other.

What’s the best part of working as a mainframe developer?

Johan describes the best part of the role as the complex and collaborative environment. “We work with extensive systems that have many connections, and it requires us to collaborate both within our own team and with other teams to solve challenges. It’s a lot of fun and suits me well,” says Johan.

Why is this role so important?

Although COBOL is an older programming language, it remains crucial for many financial institutions. “Global critical systems run on these platforms. In that sense, mainframe really is the heart of the bank. It’s exciting to know that your work makes a real difference,” says Johan.

What is the culture like at SEB?

“There’s an incredible level of helpfulness here. When I was new, everyone was very keen to make sure I got the support I needed. The task wasn’t just mine; it was the team’s task, and we helped each other from the start,” says Johan. “Even now, two years later, it's very easy to connect with anyone you need to collaborate with or someone you've worked with before. Everyone is more than happy to share how they solved a problem in the past and may offer tips on how to solve a similar task now. The culture here is very positive and supportive.”

What does the future look like for mainframe?

One challenge with the mainframe area is that many of the current COBOL developers are nearing retirement age. “We need more people, that’s just how it is,” says Johan. Even though mainframe globally have never been more important, the industry is lagging in training new developers. To meet this challenge, SEB has established the internal training programme COBOL Academy, to train the next generation of developers.

Johan points out that mainframe developers actually work with a modern platform. “Mainframe has been around since the 1960s, but it has changed tremendously since then. It’s now a cutting-edge platform that supports modern tools.” Johan is also part of a virtual team working to further modernise the systems. “SEB is at the forefront of modernising the use of mainframe and COBOL. We strive to make mainframe just another platform—it shouldn’t be any more remarkable to work on than any other technology. We’re constantly developing new tools to make working in the mainframe environment even easier; it shouldn't be harder than any other language.”

What would you say to someone considering becoming a mainframe developer?

Johan encourages anyone curious about the role to take the leap. “Give it a try! Mainframe or COBOL might sound unfamiliar or even a bit intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. COBOL is just one language among many, and it’s a lot of fun to work with,” says Johan.