Although I am crazy about Perl and use it for almost anything. I have (almost) always suggested another language to learn if the person has no programming background at all. Java comes to mind.
I personally do not like to code in Java because ... well I am plain lazy. And perl is just perfect for me. But Java enforces the discipline to do "The Right Thing". And it is not as easy to develop bad programming habits that Perl allows.
I like OO Perl since it has made my job much easier and maintainable but it will be difficult for someone without Perl experience to appreciate what good OO Perl can do for you.