No one is doing anything new in COBOL but there is so much old stuff that could only be replaced by a massive investment in rebuilding infrastructure. COBOL isn't dying anytime soon.
At one point, like 10-15 years ago, I knew experienced well paid COBOL programmers being laid off and being replaced by kids fresh out of school. And then CS programs, if not outright stopped, at least greatly reduced teaching COBOL courses. And no one coming out of school learning Java and Python and Node wants to write COBOL.
And then old timer COBOL programmers started retiring, but companies (especially banks) were not replacing their existing mainframe infrastructure. So now you have a gap between supply (COBOL programmers) and demand ( mostly banks), to the point that retired programmers are doing part time work for $200 an hour. Here's an article from 4 years ago;
I know at several dozen companies in my state alone who are still "doing something new" in COBOL, including the company I currently work for. No, that's not just maintenance, it's new apps and projects. Most of these are on a 'Fortune' list in terms of size.
Startups and small companies can ignore anything that isn't new and shiny; companies processing billions of dollars/transaction know better.
At one point, like 10-15 years ago, I knew experienced well paid COBOL programmers being laid off and being replaced by kids fresh out of school. And then CS programs, if not outright stopped, at least greatly reduced teaching COBOL courses. And no one coming out of school learning Java and Python and Node wants to write COBOL.
And then old timer COBOL programmers started retiring, but companies (especially banks) were not replacing their existing mainframe infrastructure. So now you have a gap between supply (COBOL programmers) and demand ( mostly banks), to the point that retired programmers are doing part time work for $200 an hour. Here's an article from 4 years ago;
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-banks-cobol/banks-scr...