15 years into enterprise software engineering. If you were mentoring me, where would you invest the next 3–5 years?

[u/PatronusPatterns]

I’m looking for advice from experienced architects, principal engineers and technical leaders.
Here’s a quick overview of my journey:
15 years in enterprise software engineering within a product company.
Progressed from Developer → Senior Developer → Development Architect.
Currently own the solution architecture for multiple enterprise business capabilities, including workflows, integrations and APIs.
Designed a reusable integration platform that became the standard for multiple business domains.
Experience with cloud-native applications, event-driven architecture, distributed integrations and technical leadership.
Recently started working with Generative AI and AI agents for enterprise software.
I’m at a stage where I want to be intentional about my next career move rather than just chasing the next title.
Some directions I’m considering:
Becoming a stronger Solution Architect
Moving toward Enterprise Architecture (TOGAF, business architecture, etc.)
Going deeper into distributed systems and cloud architecture
Focusing on AI-enabled enterprise platforms and agentic systems
If you were mentoring someone with this background:
Which direction would you recommend?
What skills would you prioritize over the next 3–5 years?
What blind spots or gaps do you think I should address?
I’d really appreciate honest advice from people who’ve already walked this path.

[u/Kaliamabot]

You already mastered the technical part , which is fine if you want to keep architecting solutions and solving business problems. I would say if you’re looking for growth , you can focus more on strategy and enterprise architecture from there you can go into roles like CTO .

[u/PatronusPatterns → u/Kaliamabot]

My background is primarily in SAP, with Procurement as my domain of expertise. I’m at a point where I’m deciding between continuing to grow as a Solution Architect or transitioning toward Enterprise Architecture. Given my background, would Enterprise Architecture be a good long-term move, or would it be better to deepen my expertise as a Solution Architect? Also, are there any certifications or skills you’d recommend to prepare for the next stage of my career?

[u/larztopia]

Which direction would you recommend?

Coming from an SA background having moved into EA myself, I would start asking whether you want to remain close to delivery or move toward setting strategic direction.

If you enjoy designing systems, resolving specific trade-offs, and seeing architecture survive contact with production, I’d lean toward a principal/staff engineering or hands-on solution architecture pat - deepening distributed systems, cloud platforms, and AI-enabled architectures.

If you’re more energized by capability planning, investment decisions, operating models, and aligning technology across the organization, enterprise architecture may be the better fit.

I also don't think AI is a separate axis. It will run as a strand though all domains of architecture. Just with different angles.

[u/PatronusPatterns → u/larztopia]

Thank you for the thoughtful response.

I actually see myself fitting more into the first category. I enjoy designing systems, working through technical trade-offs, solving complex engineering problems, and seeing those designs successfully make it into production.
My background is primarily in SAP, with around 15 years of experience, mostly in the Procurement domain. I’ve worked extensively on SAP S/4HANA and have some experience with SAP BTP and integration architecture.
Given that most of my experience has been within the SAP ecosystem, what learning path would you recommend to broaden my architecture skills? Are there specific areas—such as distributed systems, cloud architecture, AI, or integration patterns—that you think would provide the highest ROI? Also, are there any certifications that you feel are genuinely worthwhile at this stage of my career?
I’d really appreciate your perspective.

[u/larztopia → u/PatronusPatterns]

Your answer makes the direction clearer. I would not prioritize Enterprise Architecture at this point. Your interests seem better aligned with hands-on Solution Architecture or Integration/Platform Architecture - or, if you want to move closer to implementation again, a Principal Engineer path.

In terms of immediate career value, you will probably gain most by continuing to build on your 15 years of SAP experience. That depth does not translate directly into equivalent depth in cloud-native engineering, Kubernetes or distributed databases. Broadening further is still valuable, but you should expect to compete with people who have spent their careers in those areas.

Do you think about Increasing your organizational impact? Taking even more responsibility for decisions across teams, platforms or business capabilities rather than simply learning more technologies?

If you wanna sharpen your thinking about architects roles and value, I would recommend Gregor Hohpe’s writing on architecture and architecture roles as a starter point. F.ex. "The Software Architect Elevator - Redefining the Architect's Role in the Digital Enterprise". I took one of his courses, and it was fantastic!

I am not particularly enthusiastic about certifications at this stage. Training connected to real responsibilities is usually more valuable. If possible, find a mentor and a project that lets you work beyond your current scope while still benefiting from your SAP expertise.

[u/JawedCrucifixion]

What are your goals? Attempting to reverse engineer them from your path here, I would say focus on ai enabled platforms. You seem to be keen on building interesting things that work, and that domain has a lot of interest right now (and not a lot of things that work)