You might find this poll (long but) interesting... http://www.java-forums.org/new-java/7315-what-you-using-write-your-code.html
We've been running a co-op (i.e. cadette) program for the last five (or so) years. Here's a list of stuff (in no particular order) that co-ops are clueless about that we really really wish they knew "the basics of" when they arrived:
- Testing - Everyone tests, but (IMHO) few do so really effectively. Myself included.
- Team development - How to work together on a codebase which is bigger than anyone.
- Understanding legacy systems - Hey, this code is twice is my age? WTF?
- Project management - That dark arts of delivering quality on time and on budget.
- Business analysis - BA's are full of it! You at-least need to know enough to smell the effluent.
- Known when to say NO - Practice saying this in front of a mirror: "No sir, I'm sorry, you really can't have this Ferrarri for the price of a second-hand mini."
The technology really is the easy bit. Having said that, your first position is likely to be as a code-monkey... so the more tecken ze spreken, the more likely you are to get a foot in the door.
So I suggest
Tackle the J2EE 1.4 Tutorial
... also look at a web-app MVC framework like Struts 1 or (better) JSF; and
... also look at Hibernate - the psuedo standard persistence layer.
... also look at "early" DHTML - manipulating a html-DOM with javascript.
... also look at Swing, Applets, but try not to drown in it.
then (and only then) tackle the J2EE 1.5 Tutorial (EJB3).
I'm still in the process myself. I've been at it for two months. Anymore than two hours at-a-time makes my brain hurt, a lot... you can teach an old dog new tricks, you just have to do it slowly.
Like already stated: Every position will have it's own technology set... two people sitting next to each other may use vastly different product groups. What I advise you to learn instead of "all the techs" is the process of learning technologies, and the considerations in selecting appropriate technologies to suit a particular problem, and organisation.
The best thing you can do to improve your chances of actually getting that job is to join a "Young IT Professionals" group (like this one in Australia)... they'll probably do a "mock interview" day... constructive criticism (as apposed to spoonfeeding) will improve your job applications, your CV, and your interviewability. Hanging-out with a bunch of people who shre your interests is informative, and fun. You'll miss that "brain stimulation" in the break between uni and IT work.
On the recession thing... I graduated B.Bus(Computing) a month after the dot-com bubble burst. I worked in a supermarket, drove a cab, delivered pizza, did some builders labouring, flogged PC's, vended bad financial advise to people who can't add-up for ${nameless_charlitans}, flogged anti-virus software, tutored at the local TAFE college, got a few short-term contracts writing software for a big accounting firm... then I started voluntarily fixing up the PC's at my local employment exchange (I was there waiting for appointments for hours-on-end anyway, and it was better than doing nothing)... The IT-dude there got me an interview with "a mate" (i.e. my job was never advertised), and the rest is history. Funny how stuff works out. I feel for ya', just please don't take the knock-backs personally... you're likely to get a lot of them... it's just how the game is played.
Cheers. Keith.