Let's get this down.
I've received an offer from a well-known company (programming trade) to undergo training in SAP Consulting but specially ABAP programming. This would take about 2.5 years with fulltime employment, (paid) certificates (SAP S/4Hana, SAPUI5,...), ...
Currently I'm enrolled in University and this Computer Science degree I'm doing currently would take me aprox. 1.5 years to complete. The requiremnt from the company would force me stop purchasing the degree as long I'm 'in training'.
Would you do it? What are the pros and cons?
It's really hard to decide and I'm afraid I'll be in this 'blackhole' forever. Getting some insight would be REALLY helpful.
>>54647381
I hope you're still there OP.
I have an opinion on this but I need a few minutes to boot my pc and type it up.
>>54649157
I still have this tab open.
Feel free to type it out. I would really appreciate it.
I'm gonna read it 100%.
>>54647381
ABAP programming!?
>>54647381
You're being given a guaranteed 6-figure salary future.
If you like doing things like that, it's a no-brainer. There's damn good money in SAP consulting.
>>54649184
>>54649196
But it's "Once you went SAP path, you can't return" or am I wrong?
>>54649253
No, why would that be the case?
You could stop doing that and run a dog shelter if you want.
>>54649253
It's like that for IT in general, they call it dead end career, now way out of it without starting from zero.
>>54647381
Ignore everyone else. I've worked at sap and can give you real advice.
Sap ABAP will be in demand for a long time because so many huge companies are tied to sap. Lots of sap abappers make 100k+.
Plus you can always become a HANA developer and learn the new ABAP stuff. So long as Hana succeeds you'll have a job long into the future.
But, sap technologies are golden handcuffs. Paid well (especially at sap, Accenture, if you're Indian look at tcs and IBM) but not quite transferable.
ABAP isn't like many modern languages and completely closed. You'll only be good at sap itself - many senior sap devs can't even grasp OOP concepts. Despite ABAP "supporting OOP", you will probably be disregarded if you try to apply to non ABAP jobs.
So consider the tradeoffs
- ABAP will probably lead to a decently paid career but with fewer jobs available, and you're handcuffed to sap
- Java and other technologies have more jobs but more competition, but you're way more free... And at more risk
After some time in ABAP, I took my chances and went Java. I make less now, but I have more job opportunities and I can write software for other reasons.
So again, ask yourself
Do you want
"Well paid, limited options, non transferable skills"
Or
"Less paid at first, more options, more transferable"
>>54649253
Same guy who worked at sap
Yes - yes you are "golden handcuffed" to sap for the reasons I said earlier. ABAP skills aren't quite transferable like Java.
If you know Java you can learn c#. If you know ABAP maybe you can learn SQL, because ABAP would be best called "COBOL and SQL."
That's why I told you about the tradeoffs...
But if they're going to teach you Hana and ui5, the 2 new technologies for saps future, you'll have a job so long as sap has customers.
So really, unless you're able to get a job as a developer right now - take this opportunity. Why give up on a sure thing? Unless you're super convinced you want to be a web or full stack developer in c# or Java (like I was) there's nothing wrong with doing sap.
For the record lots of my friends at sap accenture tcs IBM like being developers. I've never heard anyone complain unless they really wanted to move on to Java or c# stacks.
>>54649157 here
Sorry, early morning here in the United States. I got really tied up.
OK OP, I'll give you my experience. I was earning my bachelor's degree (4 years), getting towards the end and doing my damndest to find a job. SAP offered me an internship during my last semester of school. I took it and then went full time. Lot of training including mobility, HANA, other areas, then they sent me out to the world. I've been there for four years now.
>I've received an offer from a well-known company (programming trade) to undergo training in SAP Consulting but specially ABAP programming. This would take about 2.5 years with fulltime employment, (paid) certificates (SAP S/4Hana, SAPUI5,...), ...
ABAP is golden handcuffs as the other anon says. It's a well paying skill but isn't immediately transferable to other companies. However, S/4HANA knowledge and UI5 knowledge is going to be really valuable. The entire company is essentially being "bet" on S/4HANA being a success and the adoption rate over the next two years is going to skyrocket. The knowledge would be valuable.
>Currently I'm enrolled in University and this Computer Science degree I'm doing currently would take me aprox. 1.5 years to complete. The requiremnt from the company would force me stop purchasing the degree as long I'm 'in training'.
If they promise employment afterwards then it sounds like a good deal. You can finish your degree part time.
>It's really hard to decide and I'm afraid I'll be in this 'blackhole' forever
I get to customers and a lot of people have been doing SAP related work for 20+ years. Some are still in BASIS, some are still ABAPers, some have bounced around quite a bit because times change.
>>54649253
It's hard to transfer out of SAP once you do. Having a handle on UI5 and mobile programming gives you an out, Java would be an out as well.
>>54649830
I agree with this guy partially. It is true the company is being bet on Hana. Maybe people feel optimistic adoption will skyrocket. Even if it does, I didn't want to spend my life there.
Ui5 will help you become a front end developer for sure. Lots of JavaScript. I'm not sure it's easy to switch to Java; but I do know plenty of Java/ABAP people. They're very valuable.
Overall man, look at this - you're being offered a solid job. Bird in the hand in two in the bush. Unless you have some strict life goal like "I Must be a c# developer working in Windows apps", just take this. Trust me, there's no a lot of jobs out there for entry level anymore.
> It's really hard to decide and I'm afraid I'll be in this 'blackhole' forever.
I'm not shitting on you OP but that's pretty much any career at some point. Just do what you get satisfaction from and pays for the lifestyle you expect. If you work hard you'll progress.
This thread is shilling.
>>54650499
Yes, because SAP is a company that sells to NEETs. Oh wait, it sells to businesses.
How in the fuck do you "shill" a career path?
>>54650499
How is it shilling? I was brutally honest about my experience at sap. I was well paid but unhappy enough that I left for a Java path. That doesn't look good for sap when people are leaving.
But if I'm going to be objective, sap pays insanely well. I was making 80,000 in an entry level job.
>>54650399
>I agree with this guy partially. It is true the company is being bet on Hana.
Transitively by virtue of S/4HANA. In ten years you won't be running SAP on non-HANA, non ASE databases.
