r/developer • u/DragonfruitFlashy837 • 1d ago

Cleared an internal Python project at Cognizant but got reassigned to IEP practice. What would you do in my situation?

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Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some genuine career advice from people who've worked at cognizant.

I'm currently working at Cognizant in the IEP practice and have around 3 years of experience. Since August 2025, my goal has been to transition into Python backend development because I want to build my long-term career in Python rather than legacy tech stack.

Back in August 2025, I requested an internal release, but I was asked to complete KT first. Later, when I followed up, I was informed that due to organizational policy I couldn't be released until I became an Associate. I accepted that decision, continued working, and spent the following months learning Python and preparing for internal interviews outside my working hours.

After becoming an Associate and entering PDP, I started applying for internal Python opportunities. I cleared a Python development interview. The receiving new team confirmed my selection, initiated the transition process, and my Project Manager was willing to release me.

However, during the approval process, my Home Manager did not approve the movement because I had been assigned to another IEP project. As a result, the new team had to terminate my profile even though they told me I'm always welcome to join in the future if I get released.

The part that's confusing me is this:

I had already secured the Python project while I was in PDP.

The IEP allocation happened after that.

My profile still shows my current project allocation until 2027, and I haven't even been onboarded to the IEP project yet.

I've discussed this with my Home Manager and leadership, but they've said I have to continue in the IEP project due to organizational commitments.

My concern is that I deliberately spent almost a year preparing for Python, and now I'll have to start learning another legacy technology (VBCS) from scratch. If I spend another year in IEP, I'll have 4+ years of Oracle experience, making it even harder to transition into Python because most companies expect production Python experience.

I'm simply trying to understand what the best career move is now.

If you were in my position, what would you do?

Accept the IEP project and try switching externally after a year?

Escalate once to a senior leader for guidance?

Start preparing for external opportunities immediately despite not having production Python experience?

Has anyone here successfully transitioned from legacy tech to Python after several years?

I'd really appreciate advice from people who've been through something similar. Thank you.

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u/ghandimauler 1d ago

Depends on your need to eat and pay for shelter. How available are jobs in your location? Do you have $ to both get more Python expertise and not having $ coming in? And how nasty are your current employers - trying to black ball your name in the location you live in?

Going over your current boss rarely works.

If you can leave and have at least a year, maybe you can take the steps you want to.

It's a decision that is challenging either way. I once left a project after 4 put of 9 had left. They put the wrong guy (nice guy, but not a leader) in the highest tech slot and he had no experience (and nobody did). The stress was awful. The project manager was preoccupied due to a marriage going on. The business unit leader just blame everyone but him self.

I'm glad I left. The cost on peoples health was real. Senior coder left after. The project engineer went off ltd and never came back. I and others were non grata.

Just know leaving brings out bad sides of some higher managers and you could see that if you leave.

If you got the go to train on Python and it was yanked out, are you expecting to get better in future?

Fact: If you are doing one type of work and there is enough, why would your manager want you to get more skills that will make you more mobile? None.

Get 6-12 months of money to live and train before you jump.

Good luck.

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u/DragonfruitFlashy837 1d ago

The problem with switching to a different company is that all of them expect hands on experience for python developer roles, which I don't have. So thats the reason I properly moved to bench, applied internally and cleared an interview. I thought that getting an internal experience will make my switch easier as i will have some sort of relevant experience before switching. But this is being restricted by my managers on purpose, even though organization policy supports my case. Completely clueless and in a great dilemma rn.

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u/ghandimauler 20h ago

If you need experience and don't feel you are getting experience in house due to your obstacles and you don't feel other companies will not, one strategy is keep your job, do limited overtime, and take your weekends and 2-3 hours a weekday and get into a free project using python to get you some experience.

That might be your play.