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IBM i developer and consultant here - who also went through a similar program as yours (I was in Mankato).

I would suggest you try to get an internship with IBM, or places (like Help Systems) where they do a lot of IBM i programming. There is very little good alternative to real world usage, and once you get your foot in the door you should be able to explore many other facets/factors of the platform and where you'd like to end up. Like any BS degree, you're learning how to use the basic tools and what makes you an expert (and sets your career path) will be the education you receive once you're out of school. For example, you can learn OOD/OOP (c++/java) principles in school, but it's not until you're in the workplace wrangling with other people's code, making your own mistakes, and deciding where the time vs perfection vs functionality balance is.

In terms of 'real world uses', the IBM i OS was designed to be a 'database support system', i.e. primarily transaction-based, so you'll find relational database technologies to be most helpful - commitment control, journaling, normalization etc. Also learn how that database integrates and communicates with the outside world (jdbc/odbc etc). Usually I see linux-based front-end's accessing the database on the '400. Pay attention to IASP's and work management, RDB entries etc.

You'll definitely want to have a good understanding of CL programming, and the IFS file system (which include QSYS!). Understand how to access both streamfiles and record-based files (i.e. C++ _Ropen vs fopen). SQL too, and how to incorporate it into your code (like SQLExecDirect).

Complexity analysis is important - there's a lot of 'big data' applications on the IBM i where you're dealing with millions of records. My customers are the titans of the commerce and banking industries, and you'll find complex ecosystems where a database can spans hundreds of LPAR, or even the big iron (z/OS). Although the IBM i is a 'midrange' computer, the past ten years has it running on some very nice hardware and has captured customers who would otherwise be on a small main-frame, so data set can be huge. You don't need to know bubble-sort vs. red-black trees if you're just presenting a list of html options, but when you're analyzing 50 terabyte databases that's a different story.

RPG is the traditional IBM i database programming language and it is still used in many places, so some knowledge of that will be helpful. I don't see COBOL very often. But what is unique about the programming languages on the IBM i is how they work together through the binding and service programs. Definitely learn how to use that effectively, so that you can write your code in whatever language is best for the task. Think modules, service programs, programs and commands. Regardless if you're coding in RPG or Python you'll want to know how to compile and bind etc.

Get really good at the "green screen". Sure, RDi is nice, but there's no excuse for not being proficient at PDM in 5250. For user interactions we don't use screen files (SDA) much, UIM panels (and the API's to make them work) are the way to go. Menus are easy to create, and I see them used a lot by admin's to make the life of operators easier.

Don't skimp on the security side of things, that will ALWAYS be important.

If you're really motivated to learn the history of the system, read this book:

https://www.amazon.com/Fortress-Rochester-Inside-Story-iSeries/dp/1583040838

Hopefully you can find a library that has it.

OK - back to work - hopefully there is some useful information in here. I guess the tl;dr is if you want to play in the IBM i industry, focus on database technologies and how to create/compile/bind and call program procedures.

There are some decent books out there. I recommend a few (url's below), because, if you don't understand the old-fashioned fixed-format opcodes, you will never understand the free-format style based on them. Try not to get too discouraged. Several of us old dinosaurs (aka "greybeards") can sometimes help.

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https://www.amazon.com/RPG-IV-Programming-AS-400/dp/0134604113/ref=pd_sbs_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0134604113&pd_rd_r=6ad96bbb-28c6-11e9-9ba3-db60abb02adc&pd_rd_w=NYVrj&pd_rd_wg=Oi3yU&pf_rd_p=588939de-d3f8-42f1-a3d8-d556eae5797d&pf_rd_r=VDGQ57TJA8Z89NR7ZSYW&psc=1&refRID=VDGQ57TJA8Z89NR7ZSYW IMHO, Stanley E. Myers provides the clearest, most-logical explanations out there. Also see his older books like https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q%3Dtbn:ANd9GcToCh_g2Ql4yOGYUjvT6jGTjAHRctxXW8OkUQ7dOMF1SmBQBLd9&imgrefurl=https://books.google.com/books/about/RPG_II_RPG_III_and_RPG_400_with_Business.html?id%3DXEUPAAAACAAJ%26source%3Dkp_cover&h=648&w=481&tbnid=2_szNKB1fDU1jM:&q=RPG+II,+RPG+III,+and+RPG+400,+with+Business+Applications&tbnh=160&tbnw=118&usg=AI4_-kTETP2B6OUU3m50ysKLet9i-9XQNA&vet=12ahUKEwiB8-D7h6PgAhUEVN8KHbpXCQcQ_B0wC3oECAcQFA..i&docid=8LU26klkmRAXKM&itg=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiB8-D7h6PgAhUEVN8KHbpXCQcQ_B0wC3oECAcQFA This one is hopelessly antiquated, but crystal clear, and a lot of the basics have not changed too much.

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Someone else already mentioned this one: https://www.amazon.com/Programming-ILE-RPG-Jim-Buck/dp/1583473793/ref=dp_ob_image_bk I don't like Meyers as much as I like Myers (yes, it's REALLY easy to confuse the two), but most people prefer Meyers.

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Re: Indicators. They are built-in logical variables that reflect the status of old-fashioned fixed-format operations. Example:

To fetch a particular record from a file (a specific employee's entry in the Payroll Master File, for example), RPG uses the CHAIN opcode as follows:

Key chain RecordFormat 4142

Key is the key to the Payroll Master File (for example Employee ID Number.). Chain is the opcode that fetches a specific record from a file. RecordFormat is part of the Payroll Master File (Record Format describes the data in each record in the file.) The Indicators tell RPG what happened. They can be ANY number from 01 through 99 inclusive; I chose 41 and 42 at random. The Indicator in columns 71 and 72 (Indicator 41) comes on if the record you are looking for does not exist in the file. The indicator in columns 73 and 74 (Indicator 42) comes on if an error is encountered (someone else has already locked that record, for example, or the Zombie Apocalypse has begun). The important part is what column the Indicator is located in, not what number it is! In Free-Form RPG, Indicators have been replaced by Built-In Functions (aka BIF's).

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Hope this helps!

I second the midrange.rpg400l mailing list. There are a lot of good people there.

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Jim Buck has a very good course on getting started in RPG, https://impowertechnologies.com/rpg-class/ but even if you just pick up his book it will help detail how to start a new project and goes into a little of the history of RPG. https://www.amazon.com/Programming-ILE-RPG-Jim-Buck/dp/1583473793/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_2?keywords=jim+buck+ibm&qid=1558024242&s=gateway&sr=8-2-fkmrnull

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TN5250 is a program that allows a "green screen" connection to a server - it does not host the language on it's own. If you are working on an IBM, I strongly recommend Access Client Solutions for a 5250 connection instead. Or use the Rational Developer trial you already have.

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Is your class an online class that you have no assistance from an instructor on the setup?