I would suggest Python first. 1 there are a lot people hiring python eng right? At least according to what I saw on s/o developer survey. Anyways, I think that it's a lot easier to become a productive python developer than a java developer. Python's syntax is simpler, and it's so much easier to tap into all the libraries through pip than any kind of gradle build or IDE setup, especially for a beginner. I think this is important for any new programmer, to learn the fundamentals, yes, but also learn how to use libraries and quickly build new projects which is what may end up getting you a job anyways right?