I'm currently doing an internship as part of my Higher Vocational Diploma, but I've found myself placed in a team that primarily works with COBOL, a pretty outdated programming language. My goal is to learn programming in a way that will enhance my career opportunities, and I'm concerned that specializing in COBOL won't provide me with the skills I need for the future job market. I've heard there's still demand for COBOL, especially in fields like banking, but I'm not sure if it pays well or if I'm making a mistake sticking with this. I want to ask if it's worth my time to finish my certification here while also working on learning more modern skills like microservices, APIs, and cloud development on my own. Should I just ride this out for the experience and potentially switch companies later, or is this going to hurt my career in the long run?
3 Answers
A lot of big banks still rely on COBOL for their core trading systems. It may not seem exciting, but it plays a crucial role. You can still pivot later if you want to work with newer technologies. Just focus on gaining experience now.
You should definitely complete your certification—those fundamental skills will carry over into any programming language. COBOL may seem outdated, but it’s still widely used in certain industries, particularly banking, which means you might be able to land a well-paying job. Plus, if you work on your own projects alongside this, you'll gain valuable experience that can help you transition later on.
Are they paying you for this internship? If not, then really think about your long-term goals. If you don’t see a career path here, it might be worth looking at options where you can get paid and gain relevant experience.
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