Hello!
Sounds like a lot of people here are paranoid about Java in the marketplace.
First of all, the market is pretty unpredictable right now(in U.S) so you might not want to jump to any conclusions. Also, if you are planning to make a career in the IT market, you might want to consider the fact that learning Java and getting certified in it(which also helps you really learn it) can only compliment your resume. Hopefully, most people in this forum are not planning on focusing on only one programming language and expecting to land their first job with that language. The odds are probably against you if you plan to do that, especially with the market down right now.
It is fun to learn this language compared to learning a legacy's like COBOL. However, having a diverse education in computer programming(and anything else) can help you more than anything. It all depends on the prospective employer. Some like that you know Java and Cobol, some want you to never have touched Cobol.
I'm an insurance minded type person and believe in trying to cover all my bases i.e. learning more than one particular language so that I am more marketable.
I plan to get certified even though I use Java at work because there are many things that we don't use at my workplace in the Java language. A lot of things are left out.
After I get the SCJP, I plan on working on SQL and Oracle certification because I don't get any exposure to working with these databases. How am I going to answer questions on a phone interview about SQL and Oracle if I don't know anything about it?
Maybe the company has departments that focus on these and other departments that focus on Java, but if they are including questions on them, I better have an answer is my opinion.
Good luck to everyone job hunting. Although I am already employed, I am job hunting also since I want to get away from programming in COBOL(we use Java and Cobol at work).
I agree with everyone that says Java will be around for some time yet, but I also believe that with the way the market is right now, we could all use a little luck.