The traditional answer is:
- MATLAB is used for signal processing
- LabVIEW is used for control engineering
- Languages related to PLCs, such as ladder logic and Function Block Diagram are used for automation and control systems.
- C/C++ embedded system programming
This is all changing. Open-source software is making proprietary software such as LabVIEW and MATLAB less appealing. Python is taking over scientific computing. It is also making its way into robotics and IoT/embedded. Industry 4.0 and the Industrial IoT are paving the way for a new trend in high-level systems that will replace traditional PLCs.
If you are a student, it is advisable to learn everything you can at university, but I recommend that you pay more attention when you learn high-level languages such as Java, Python, and MATLAB.