[rich335z]

I totally agree that this is a problem for the mainframe, and I personally have tried to talk to IBM about this (and obviously haven't gotten anywhere). This is a huge missed opportunity for them. I regularly encounter folks that would like to learn the platform, even at a hobbyist level, but it's simply not accessible.

FWIW... I know it's not exactly what you're looking for, but IBM does host a Master the Mainframe contest each year. It provides free access to current z/OS systems for a while (few months, I think) and a project consisting of a series of challenges that guide you though learning the environment. IIRC... you must be an enrolled student to actually win the prizes, but anyone can sign up and perform the activities. One of the mods on /r/mainframe helps coordinate the contest if you're interested in learning more about it.