The Next Generation Of IBM i Talent in GenAI Action

March 30, 2026 Laura Ubelhor

The future of IBM i is not just being imagined – it is actively being built by the next generation of IT professionals.

The IBM i Agentic iMPACT AI Student Project provided Pennsylvania School of Technology network and technology students with a unique opportunity to participate in a real-world, industry-sponsored innovation challenge. This hands-on initiative focuses on implementing agentic artificial intelligence (AI) within the IBM i environment, giving students exposure to cutting-edge integration and automation technologies while building valuable, real-world experience.

The project was offered as an extracurricular component of the curriculum; the project launched its first challenge with participation from Pennsylvania College of Technology. Nine teams, each consisting of two students, committed to the challenge – balancing their efforts alongside existing coursework and work responsibilities. Of those, three teams successfully completed the project and presented fully developed solutions, demonstrating both dedication and capability. The teams include:

• Team 1 Basket Bloom – Avery Bowers & Connor Hackenburg
• Team 2 Richard AI – Caleb Palmer & Owen Sheffer
• Team 3 Sales Insider– Kyle Shuler & Gavin Bowers.

Building Awareness and Opportunity: Beyond the technical challenge, the initiative was designed to raise awareness of key programs supporting the future of IBM i:

• COMMON Education Foundation (CEF) – Longstanding in its mission to shape the future of IT, CEF provides pathways for education and helps expand IBM i knowledge for the next generation.
• IBM Power Skills Academy (PSA) – A program where academic excellence meets enterprise innovation, PSA empowers students and educators through hands-on, career-ready IBM Power training. Under the leadership and enthusiasm of Linda Alkire, PSA continues to drive impactful initiatives such as this student challenge.

Pennsylvania College of Technology, one of many institutions offering IBM i curriculum, played a critical role in this effort. The school has been actively engaged with COMMON, CEF, and PSA resources and rose to the occasion by organizing and supporting student teams throughout the project.

Project Overview: Working in teams of two, students were tasked with standing up agentic AI infrastructure within a networked environment, integrating agentic AI capabilities with IBM i for practical, enterprise-ready use cases and demonstrating their solutions in a final “Big Reveal” showcase

To provide a true business context, IBM supplied IBM i systems for development and testing, ensuring students worked within an authentic enterprise environment.

Leadership And Collaboration

The initiative was coordinated through a strong partnership between industry and academia:

• Linda Alkire, Senior Program Manager & Content Strategist, IBM Power Skills Academy
• Laura Ubelhor, Consultech Services, Inc., and Vice President, COMMON Education Foundation
• Rick Crossen, Assistant Professor, Pennsylvania College of Technology

Together, they guided the project, connected students with IBM i resources, and facilitated mentorship opportunities through IBM and the broader COMMON community.

The Big Reveal And Judging

The project culminates in a “Big Reveal” showcase event, where student teams present their solutions and final judging results are announced.

The distinguished panel of judges includes:

• Ashish Thomas – Software Development Engineer
• Chris Gomez – Software Developer
• John Lynch – Software Developer/Analyst
• Steve Wolk – Chief Technology Officer
• Ryan Moeller – IBM Software Engineer

Projects are evaluated across a comprehensive set of criteria, including business relevance, innovation, technical execution, user experience, and ethical considerations – ensuring that solutions reflect real-world enterprise expectations.

Recognition And Opportunity

Winning teams will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to COMMON’s POWERUp 2026 Conference (which is being held April 27 through 30), sponsored by IBM, the COMMON Education Foundation, and community supporters including Consultech Services, Pete Massiello, and Meridian IT. The winning teams will also be provided a trip to New York for LISUG Horizons May 26.

Rick Crossen, who facilitated and coordinated the project at Pennsylvania College of Technology, will also attend. The student teams and their work will be featured during the conference’s opening session and showcased at both IBM and CEF booths – offering attendees the opportunity to meet and engage with these emerging professionals.

Inspiring Results: The final project presentations, completed on March 27, were nothing short of impressive. In a relatively short timeframe, students delivered practical, real-world solutions leveraging AI on IBM i. The professionalism, creativity, and technical execution demonstrated by the teams highlighted not only their individual talents but also the strength of the educational and community support behind them.

It was clear from the presentations that these students are not only ready – but eager – to contribute to the future of IT.

Looking Ahead: The Big Reveal event will be open to everyone in the IBM i community, and efforts are underway to expand this initiative. The big reveal will take place on April 2, 2026, from 9 to 10 a.m. Central time. Go to ibm.biz/iMPACT-2026.

Those interested in sponsoring or contributing to the development of the next generation of IBM i professionals can learn more at cef.common.org.

A Bright Future

The success of the IBM i Agentic iMPACT AI Student Project sends a clear message:
The next generation of IBM i talent is not only emerging – it is thriving.

They are ready, willing, and able to lead.

And the future of IBM i has never looked brighter.