I'm a very senior IBM Mainframe programmer/project lead (25+ years) that has had the opportunity over the past two years to learn webdev: Java/Spring MVC and, of course, the client side stuff (JavaScript, CSS, XHTML). I love the webdev paradigm, but due to a weird environment (a terribly "enhanced" mutation of an old version of Eclipse; a custom web/app server that is configured by files in a proprietary language) and political stuff (the Mainframe group was expected to fail in taking workload off the offshore, front end teams, but we succeeded spectacularly, and now there's a political firestorm that our department is likely to lose -- so the opportunity I've had may go away; worse: we get no assistance -- sometimes sabotage -- in learning and developing our skill set).
So, I am wondering, with only two years of webdev under my belt, am I marketable out in the rest of the world? If so, would I have to take the pay cut to be a Jr.
Java programmer?
I'd like to think there'd be a fast-track for me to become a Sr. Java developer, maybe even a Sr. Java Architect someday, because of transferable skills I have from the Enterprise Mainframe world. But are there any critical technologies I should work with before making a leap? Or is it a matter of acquiring more time on the webdev side (as perversely retarded as it may be in my current place of employ)?