Learn something useful -> Learn Scala or Erlang on the side.<p>P. T. Barnum just turned in his grave! He said USEFUL! If you said "learn to write SQL instead of abstracting stuff through a framework" or even "learn to mix cement and lay formwork" - THAT would be useful.<p>Erlang, Scala (or dare i say it), Lisp - possibly not so much 'useful' as an academic pursuit.