"Again, to the newly unemployed
And to those who chose to work different
From their respective or supposed professions"
(A message to the so-called "graduates")
At first, this message is not made to those who had finished, but also those who had stopped and chose to deal things unconventionally in pursuit of success. In other words, not all people whom became successful had undergone the conventions yet least trying to have their aspirations realized in a series of sacrifices especially in a fast-changing world.
Seemed quite happy to most people that their sons and daughters had finished their years of hardships in the four corners of the classroom. Most had carried their diplomas, some with medals and trophies, products of their successes, tassels from their caps moved from left to right and singing their farewell songs, leaving memories in form of pictures, videos, and status messages with tomorrow as new found professionals bigger entities waited with promises of big cash.
However, despite all the rejoicing as graduates, this writer would say to them that they are the newly unemployed. Sorry to say so, but most, if not all of them had waited in long queues for a high paying job regardless of not related to their respective profession. Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), if not a series of rackets had least "saved them" knowing on the other hand that they have limited terms to observe with such as in their contracts. Time and again had to renew so to speak and few would get lucky to become regular employess, that again, different from their respective professions.
That somehow made this writer think that they're no different from those who haven't finish yet damn, how come they had good cash after working in the BPO sector if not in a series of rackets? Hence, instead of being professional according to their titles and licenses, they are semiproletarians unnoticingly.
With some knowledge some would afford to have business or using their skill in a craft such as a mechanic; in fact, there were once engineering students who happened to became mechanics dealing with maintaining engines and industrial stuff, these people may had least practise their profession regardless of being stopped from their schooling. There are even some whom taking entrepreneurial skill, or even working freelance such as in writing, that considerably improve their pockets and at the same time challenging with today's crisis same as those who had citations and licenses.
But, there are also those whom chose to go beyond money and taking lives into service. In medicine, there were barefoot physicians whom using some ideas in the field of medicine had saved lives in the countryside where little or no medical support being reached, their expertise in saving lives are at least at par to those who had afford to finish medicine and licensed; ironically, the latter, especially those who had chose to serve the people faithfully had afford to train them: from circumcizing male children to handling gunshot wounds after a surgery, sharing their knowledge and understanding about their profession using simple terms and common language of the masses.
But despite all these successes, still most people rather cling to the tradition of titles that to theirs meant privileges. Once, in a book this writer had read years ago stated that college levels back then are meant to train students to much higher one, particularly those with licenses such as law, medicine, engineering and the priesthood. Journalism would had been treated as a prelaw course back then, so was accounting. And regardless of finishing such preparatory college courses it was treated as none other than an undergrad as most parents before still cling to the licenses on courses this writer had stated. You cannot teach college if you haven't take a master's degree nor becoming a doctor if you haven't take up nursing or biochemistry as a preparatory course. And speaking of licenses as privileges this writer would say that "if having a license, diploma, or any citation means success, then how about others who chose to deal things unconventionally in pursuit of success?"
How come Zuckerberg or Bill Gates became successful? How come Blas Ople became a minister, senator, diplomat? Both of them are dropouts, but they have the wit and imagination to fulfill their duties such as making Facebook, Microsoft happen or making Philippines active in foreign affairs. It's just that in this Philippines' own inherent culture emphasises titles, and titles meant licenses, privileges yet how about those who chose to be unconventional yet moral? This so-called modern world everyone appreciates of includes leveling those who have and have nots in the playing field of reality, that, sorry to say here in the Philippines that, there are those who had finished college (including those who had licenses) also worked with those who had stopped college in call centres, if not becoming self-emplyed freelancers. Much more that both of them, regardless of their differences had least having same wage and living standards as so-called young professionals.
In other words, anything seemed contrary to the usual mindset that only those who had afford to finish are the ones who had the right to deserve a future, yet there are those who aren't yet having enough wit and courage to become successful, sharing the same future as those who had passed their respective degrees.
No offense to most graduates whom cling to their concept of tradition and standards, just that this writer and other saw there are others who chose to go beyond titles and licenses yet becoming successful as those who had afford to finish. Yet sadly, despite the so-called improvements in education system the dictates of the market had urged most to take courses that are in demand by most companies or agencies with promises of good payment than according to both their passions and the demands of the society, worse, to see education system, aside from becoming a mere moneymaking scheme (thanks to commercialization) being geared the Filipino youth to become mere employees, peons of bigger entities than masters of their fate.
No offense to most graduates whom cling to their concept of tradition and standards, just that this writer and other saw there are others who chose to go beyond titles and licenses yet becoming successful as those who had afford to finish. Yet sadly, despite the so-called improvements in education system the dictates of the market had urged most to take courses that are in demand by most companies or agencies with promises of good payment than according to both their passions and the demands of the society, worse, to see education system, aside from becoming a mere moneymaking scheme (thanks to commercialization) being geared the Filipino youth to become mere employees, peons of bigger entities than masters of their fate.
And those who deal things unconventionally are different ftom those who are intentionally chose to stop for the heck of it. Zuckerberg is different from those who take computer engineering and taking it easy like playing computer games.
But regardless of the differences between those who had marched and those who aren't yet came successful in their respective professions and crafts, It had shown how history has proved the remarkable achievements, given good contributions made in the fields of education and culture both by state and private universities and colleges in the Philippines and even around the world. For, when properly conducted and guided by the aspirations of the people than those of the market, lies a good store of advantage especially in pursuit of national development and social change. Ideally, education has to go beyond the just tradition of titles and licenses embedded in the mindsets of most people, and in pursuit of real development should emphasise perseverance, practise and artistry as basis of becoming a well rounded invididual destined to the call of times.