Chapter 55

"...and that's all for today, everyone. Any questions? None? Very well. Class dismissed. And please, Group Three, don't forget your presentations for tomorrow, otherwise..." The female professor's voice filled the room, its usual authority underscored by a gentle reminder.

With deliberate strokes, she wiped away the remnants of the lesson on the board, each movement precise and measured.

After finishing wiping the board and packing her belongings, the professor prepared to leave the classroom.

However, just as she was stepping out, she paused and spoke, "By the way, Mr. Morales, please come to my office in ten minutes. I'd like to talk to you about something."

As soon as she left, laughter and lively chatter filled the air, and a clear sense of relief and a positive atmosphere enveloped everyone as the class finally came to an end.

Bags were zipped, and chairs made a grating sound against the floor as students readied themselves to leave, amplifying their anticipation for the approaching freedom.

However, not everyone wore an excited expression; Edward and Patricia, for example... well, Edward didn't like this professor among all the others. On the contrary, Patricia was enthusiastic because she likes her subject.

Of course, Edward's dislike for the professor was a secret, known only to him. Patricia was oblivious about it, and he had no intention of sharing it.

Sighing, Edward packed up his things and turned to Patricia. He shouldered her backpack and said, "You don't have to wait for me; you can go back to the apartment on your own. It might take a while..."

"O-okay," Patricia, obedient as usual, did not question him and nodded.

Then the two exchanged a few more words. As the remaining classmates left one by one, they bid farewell to each other.

"Bro, be honest. What did you do to her to make her react like that?" At this time, James, the third wheel, who had been watching them flirt as if he didn't exist, finally spoke after seeing Patricia leave.

"I don't know, remember last time? she scolded me for having long hair," Edward snorted as his fingers ran through his hair, contemplating that it was indeed a bit long, but not as long as the usual wolf cut.

His wolf cut was neatly trimmed, not overly long or overly stylized, and it didn't cover his face like an emo... It was more of a classic look, especially when paired with his retro glasses.

When Edward first chose this hairstyle, it wasn't with the aim of looking handsome or anything like that. It was about being distinctive, to genuinely stand out in a crowd.

He sought a visual signature, something that would make him look rebellious, aiming to set him apart in a world where conformity often prevailed.

After all, this hairstyle wasn't popular at this time. It was a unique—and in most cases, people recognized uniqueness not only in appearance but in various characteristics as well, such as character, voice, laughter, clothing, and more.

As long as the individuals were unique and clever enough to take advantage of it, they could easily stand out in people's minds.

Edward, being self-aware, knew he lacked those mentioned traits. His voice wasn't outstanding; in their neighborhood, at least ten people were more skilled singers.

In terms of his looks, he wasn't bad—just okay. At least he didn't think he was ugly. However, he wasn't handsome either, and he didn't believe he had any physical qualities that could attract attention.

In other words, he had average talent and average looks. There was nothing outstanding about him that could catch people's attention or affection.

That's why he thougut of making up something that could help people recognize him more easily, leaving a distinct first impression that he was different, that he was unique.

That was his original idea and it worked well and as a matter of fact, he also thougt that his hair style, (if you exclude the main factor the he was famous) was one of the reason why many girls are sending him message on his social media accounts.

"Maybe you said something bad, like for example, when you refuted her random claims that education was the key to success," James said knowingly.

"..." Hearing hims, Edward was stunned for a moment and thought he might have indeed said something.

At that time, Miss C was casually talking about the importance of education, and he misunderstood one of her sentences.

He then said to her that it was wrong and that in most cases education was useless in our country.

Miss C, evidently annoyed, asked him to get up and elaborate on his claim and he did and expressed his perspective.

He then said that, aside from government career majors such as education, criminology, medicine, etc., the rest were like mere toppings.

"Why?"

As an IT graduate himself, Edward knew that finding a job in the competitive IT field was like attempting to pass through the eye of a needle.

"Why?"

It's because of his education... well, generally, it's rooted in the fact that the Philippine education cycle is two years shorter than the rest of the world

Basically, after middle school was college.

Which is why, after graduation, companies prioritize a minimum of four years of work experience as a requirement for hiring.

Which is also understandable, After all, they're doing business and naturally seek individuals with a wealth of skills and expertise for their company.

It's a reasonable and practical approach, making certain they have a competent and capable team to push their business towards success. After all, a company's prosperity relies on the collective efforts of its workforce.

This is precisely the reason why K-12 was introduced in 2013. To increase the country's education standards, so that they could remove the need for companies to ask for four years of experience from fresh graduates when hiring.

And so, there was widespread celebration and hope.

The long-awaited change had arrived, However, years after...

Nothing major changed.

Yes, the four-year experience requirement was officially lifted. Yet, the policy didn't prevent companies from favoring candidates with those four years of experience.

The phrase 'preferably 2-4 years of experience' was right there, discreetly positioned just below the Bachelor's degree requirements

In other words, nothing has changed at all. The barrier still stands, and this fact is known by anyone—the people are aware, and so is the G.

But then what? They did nothing at all—well, if you consider the fact that the P's term at that time had ended, it was reasonable.

So, it wasn't entirely their fault.

The transition of leadership added a layer of complexity to the situation, leaving the resolution hanging in the balance.

However, what's unreasonable was the requirement system was still the same... or even worse.

Because a catch-22 loop was inevitable.

You applied for a job to get experience, but companies wouldn't provide the opportunity because you didn't have it.

I mean, what's wrong with this country?

What's more, the jobs had excessively high standards.

A cashier at the mall was expected to possess a Bachelor's or College Degree in Business, along with an array of sales skills, language fluency, and exceptional communication abilities.

As for a Graphic Designer? Edward had come across a job advertisement in the newspaper once, and the requirements were overwhelming. The applicants were expected to be skilled in videography, photography, content writing, and web development, among other things.

Like TF? You were only hiring for one position but expecting qualifications that could easily make up a whole team?

There's also IT.. well usually, IT companies did not hire fresh grads, it's kind of unspoken rule, but anyway, their requirements are more reasonable and logical.. At least they are more skill orriented compared to others.

But basically bachelor's degree, years of experienced, and skills is necessary.. so I guess it was okay.. if you ignore the fact that IT workers are too many and IT companies mostly hired the bests.. its fine.

In summary, with the exception of government jobs and non-graduate roles like factory workers or drivers and others,, breaking into other career paths often feels like attempting to fit through the eye of a needle.

That's why a many people in this country find the prospect of working abroad more appealing than staying and working locally.

That's why, he emphasized that, in many cases, educational qualifications didn't carry the same weight... often times they demanded more than just degrees and certificates.

That's why he says that, beyond government-designated jobs, venturing into other career paths felt like trying to fit through the eye of a needle

That's why he didn't agree with Miss C.

She was a teacher herself, and it wasn't a company paying her, but the government. The stability and requirements where the government was the employer, was different from those in the private sector.

That's why he told her she didn't understand society well enough.

"... Well, isn't it only a misunderstanding?" Edward sighed and felt a headache in his mind.