Early Career: SAP to SWE transition?

[u/foxxypants_]

Hi guys, I'm a recent CS grad (2026) from the University of Calgary. I graduated with no internships and got lucky enough to land a job at IBM as a SAP associate (slightly more technical SAP consultant from my understanding) in their Calgary (Consulting) office.

Though I am incredibly grateful to have landed this job considering my lack of experience and the brutal state of the current market, I don't know if this something I want to stay in for a very long time. Starting out in CS I always saw myself wanting to go into SWE but I wasn't able to land an internship and thus took whatever I got into after graduation (i.e. the SAP role).

I just feel as though my technical and problem solving skills are way too underutilized in this role and I don't see too much potential for growth career wise. I'm also scared of getting sort of pigeon-holed and losing my Software Engineering identity more and more with every month that i stay at this job.

Do you guys have any tips or thoughts on my situation? Anything would be appreciated :)

[u/SurelyNotLikeThis]

I also live in Calgary. This is not the right place for an early career engineer. I only moved here because I have a remote job at a reputable company.

If you like your current job stick with it. Barrier to entry for tech is very high right now and it doesn't look like its going to get better. My company dont even hire mid levels anymore, only senior +.

Maybe ask yourself why you want to be an SWE in the first place. If its cuz you like coding, do your own projects, because at any big company all you'd be doing is review claude code. I haven't written anything by hand for 1.5 years.

[u/Freed4ever → u/SurelyNotLikeThis]

You guys still review code? <half joking>

[u/SurelyNotLikeThis → u/Freed4ever]

On paper I do. Gotta get the metrics up 🤣

[u/Proper_Jeweler_9238 → u/SurelyNotLikeThis]

I never know any good companies not doing frequent layoff in Calgary(eg neofirnacial, Benevity). or you mean IBM ?

[u/SurelyNotLikeThis → u/Proper_Jeweler_9238]

Are you asking about where I work? The company has no Calgary presence

[u/Proper_Jeweler_9238 → u/SurelyNotLikeThis]

well then you can work anywhere actually (:- sorry I didn't see you mentioning it being remote firstly

[u/Krazynukz]

Funny im kinda in a similar situation, not SAP although had worked with some of it but instead doing some BI development and then slowly transisitioning to application & automation development at my place. Always worth networking with different teams within your workplace, im sure within IBM you definitely have ways to switch teams

Honestly with the current times just stick to your role, if you dont like it then just keep applying. Hard to get a job as a new grad rn

[u/Freed4ever]

Given where things are heading, I wouldn't be surprised if your kind of role outlasts the swe roles. Corporate IT, especially with ERP like SAP, is risk averse and slow on tech adoption, so they will be the last to let AI go loose on their system. But long term, we are all cooked.

[u/Skyvivcar → u/Freed4ever]

Based on what’s happening at my company, offshoring will be the biggest challenge for these types of positions.

[u/Bolducdku → u/Freed4ever]

Why do you say long term all you are cooked? Which careers or jobs field would suggest instead, that aren't cooked.

[u/Freed4ever → u/Bolducdku]

We all need to change and adapt, but as it stands, I'd say health care has a longer / longest runway. We are still a bit a way from trusting a robot jabbing our veins under all conditions.

[u/bag0fpotatoes]

You have the flexibility to move between different practices within the consulting company like IBM. Try to build a network once you get there and find something you are interested in. Use all the resources provided to you to figure out what part of the business you are interested in.