Rocket Software has launched its NextGen Academy in Newbury, Berkshire, UK, to help improve software development skills in the market.
It says the programme is designed to prepare participants with the essential skills and hands-on experience needed to excel in enterprise software development, with Newbury focusing on COBOL (see below) and other critical technologies.
Building on the inaugural programme in Lithuania, the UK NextGen Academy will run for three months, delivering an intensive structured technical training curriculum led by senior engineers from the company’s Newbury office.
Participants will receive invitations for engineering roles in software development, customer solutions, and technical support at Rocket Software, along with mentorship and professional development.
Neil Fowler, SVP of hybrid cloud engineering at Rocket, and NextGen Academy board chair, said: “The Academy is more than technical training, it’s a transformative experience that empowers participants with the confidence, hands-on experience, and cross-functional expertise needed to make an immediate impact. Participants not only gain a strong technical foundation, but also develop soft skills that are essential for success in today’s dynamic workplace.”
The global programme is also scheduled to launch in Northwest Arkansas, US later this year, with plans to extend to other geographies in the future. Each regional Academy tailors the programme content to address local skills gaps, while meeting the specific product needs of customers in those regions. The UK team worked closely with WAVEZ, a community-driven user group dedicated to fostering a new generation of mainframers.
Ricki West, WAVEZ chairperson, said: “By partnering with WAVEZ, a volunteer-run user group, Rocket is giving its new cohort access to a wider network of peers, industry events, and learning opportunities beyond the classroom. We enable early-career professionals to connect across organisations, build confidence through shared experiences, and engage with the mainframe ecosystem from day one.
“This kind of collaboration doesn’t just support individual growth, it helps strengthen and sustain the future of the industry as a whole.”
Applicants to the NextGen Academy should possess a 2:1 or higher engineering-related degree (like computer science, mathematics, or physics), have a passion for coding and programming, and a desire to learn new technologies, said Rocket.
Rocket’s software solutions span IT modernisation, AI-driven automation, data integration, and secure hybrid clouds.
