By John Legaspi It’s the moment every parent longs to see, their kids finally graduating from college, a feeling of shared accomplishment as their children walk up that stage to receive their diplomas. But the old models of kids climbing the corporate ladder from the very bottom no longer seem to apply or are at least no longer popular. Some graduates are fired up with enthusiasm, ready to score that first job. Others decide to pursue higher and continuing education. For those who can afford it, a gap year between graduation and the real life out there is a much-needed breather. Others, still, dive into entrepreneurship. They climb the first rung of the corporate ladder Times have changed and so has our academic system. Former President Benigno Aquino III signed the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, thereby strengthening the Philippines academic curriculum by adding a few more years to basic education through the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum. Last year welcomed the pioneer graduates slit to be job-ready, a program designed for immediate employment both domestic and international. Last December, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released its annual report on the status of labor and employment in the country. The rate of employment increased by .4 percent, from 94.3 percent (2017) to 94.7 percent (2018), according to the report, while unemployment decreased, also at .4 percent, from 5.7 percent to 5.3 percent. Among the unemployed in 2018, 75.2 percent belonged to the age group 15 to 34 years old. In terms of educational attainment, 21 percent of the unemployed were college graduates, 15.9 percent were college undergraduates, and 29 percent have completed junior high school. They go for more learning Though a few years of experience in the field makes a graduate program more meaningful or effective, some graduates take advantage of their fresh learning and aim for post-graduate courses before or while diving into their chosen industry. An article in The Guardian says that about one in three graduates ends up being “mismatched” to the jobs they find after leaving university. One example is Ross, a state university graduate, who finished a degree in business but is now pursuing a certification course in Communication. “The K to 12 program, while it prolongs student's academic life, allows students to have more time to firm up their decisions,” he said. “They are now taught with a more precise curriculum and broader subjects. One way to compete with them is to learn more skills as well.” To accommodate the new professionals, universities and other educational institutions are offering a distant learning program, where discussions and assignments are done online. Some programs require at least two class sessions per month. Many things are to be considered when taking courses after you've just finished one, from the time these classes will take from you to the cost, especially since, having finished college, you are or should be financially on your own. A master's program, for instance, ranges from P50,000 to P100,000 per semester. They go on a break Taking a break, for others, is the way to go after graduation. There is no harm in taking a well-deserved rest after those long years of studying. Having a gap year relieves the mind from stress and allows you to breathe, properly assess things, and formulate a good game plan. “If the new grad took a year off for a developmental assignment or humanitarian cause that created skills, knowledge, or abilities that would be transferable to the workplace, there may be tangible benefits,” advised Susan Hosage, senior consultant and executive coach at OneSource HR, in an article in the Chicago Tribune. According to the Harvard Business Review, for many graduates, burned out from four (or more) years of intense study, taking a year to do something with less pressure can be a hugely positive experience with great pay-off. They become the boss In PSA research, graduates who immediately become bosses or entrepreneurs usually come from families engaged in long running businesses. This new generation, however, is more entrepreneurial and has many self-starters. A report by the United States Agency for International (USAID) says that young Filipinos may be enthused to give entrepreneurship a try. Omitting the process of resume drafting, they dabble straight into the business blue print and build brands of their own. CHED released a report listing the in-demand courses in the country. On the list are courses related to agriculture, math and sciences, information technology, and business administration. The courses mentioned provides essential knowledge, training, and a good foundation in building an enterprise. Also, a forecast made by Jobstreet.com says that these courses will still be patronized for in next five years. The Business News Daily said that recent college grads who are digital natives are equipped to harness technology's power to establish, promote, and grow their businesses, especially as, thanks to social media and other e commerce platforms, it us now possible to establish a business without the need for personnel or a sizeable capital. Life after graduation is exciting. There is a whole new world of things to learn that cannot be taught in the classroom.