Abundant Opportunities Awaiting SHS Graduates

Senior High School or SHS graduates are expected to benefit much from the overhaul of the Philippine education system that gave way to the nationwide drift of K to 12 program.

Notwithstanding calls and protests suppressing the educational reform, it has at least pushed through. Somehow, its long-term benefits have now become almost a consensus.

As it happens, the pioneer batch of SHS graduates will march on stage in summer, sometime in March. After two more years of academic grind, they should have been more exposed to real-life skills and knowledge at par with global standards. Hence, there is an abundance of opportunities awaiting SHS graduates.

College Education

Within the two-year Senior High School (SHS) program, students acquire academic skills indispensable to their prolific college education. Such skills required in preparing academic papers and reports, making presentations, undertaking academic research, and other soft skills like leadership and teamwork, effective communication, and critical thinking receive special focus in the enhanced curricular instructions.

After the program, SHS graduates are expected to be more mature in making informed decisions about their career choices throughout their college journey, hence their young adulthood.

Equally important, they can even be more productive members of the society as they can land better part-time jobs or run profitable small businesses while pursuing their dream college degrees.

Here are the possible college degrees for a few strands and tracks:

• Accounting, Business, and Management (ABM): Accountancy, Accounting Technology, Business Administration, Office Administration, Customs Administration, Finance, Legal Management, Commerce, Internal Auditing, and other business and management related courses
• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM): Environmental Science, Geology, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Nutrition and Dietetics, Medical Technology, Pharmacy, Computer Science, Information Technology, Aeronautical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electronics and Communications Engineering, Statistics, and other related courses
• Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMMS): Philosophy, Linguistics, Communication, Library and Information Science, Mass Communication, Political Science, Psychology, Criminology, Education, and other related courses
• Technical, Vocational, and Livelihood (TVL): Agri-Fishery Arts (Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, etc.), Home Economics (Hospitality and Tourism Management, Food Technology, Culinary Arts, Nutrition, etc.), Industrial Arts (Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Designing, Applied Technology, etc.), Information and Communications Technology (Electrical, Computer Engineering, Information Technology, Software and Network Engineering, etc.)

Employment

Senior High School program, as said, can be a possible solution to existing job mismatch. As SHS graduates meet the employability requirements, they can join the workforce at an early age.

Soon, they will adopt professional practices and skills, but still have enough time to shift career nonetheless.

As Education Department clarifies however, SHS cannot guarantee employment, but it creates better opportunities such as provision of qualifications for TESDA Certificates of Competency (COCs) and National Certificates (NCs) (source: DepEd.com.ph).

Entrepreneurship

Basics of accounting, entrepreneurship, and financial management are already introduced in senior high school through Accounting, Business, and Management (ABM) strand.

With these fundamental tools, SHS graduates can pursue entrepreneurship or run a small family business while completing college education.

Here are a few profitable small business ideas for young entrepreneurs:

• Buy and Sell Business (ABM and others)
• Computer Repair Business (MAWD, STEM)
• Food Cart Business (CULY, REBO, and others)
• Health and Wellness Products Business (almost all strands)
• Internet Shop Business (MAWD, STEM, and others)
• Online Retail Store (ABM and others)
• Party Supplies Business (almost all strands)
• Rice Retailing Business (ABM)
• School Supplies Retailing (ABM and others
• Small Catering Business (CULY, REBO, and others)
• T-Shirt and Digital Printing Business (almost all strands)
• and many others awaiting SHS graduates…

Freelance Jobs

With acquired technical and other skills, SHS graduates who do not want to pursue college education right away, neither employment nor entrepreneurship, may also engage in freelance jobs.

Freelancers enjoy too much freedom and flexibility that regular office employees cannot. In addition, they do not have to work longer underpaid and struggle adopting the culture and pressure in the workplace.

Here are a few freelance jobs that can somehow be profitable for SHS graduates:

• Advertisement Copywriting (ABM, HUMSS, and others)
• Blogging and Content Marketing (almost all strands)
• Data Encoding (MAWD, STEM, and others)
• Digital and Affiliate Marketing (MAWD)
• Events Management and Hosting (almost all strands)
• Graphic Arts and Design (MAWD)
• Home-based Customer Services (almost all strands)
• Home-based Online English Tutorial (HUMSS, GAS)
• Mobile Application Development (MAWD)
• Personal Shopping Services (almost all strands)
• Photography and Digital Editing (MAWD, STEM, and others)
• Real Estate and Insurance Agent Services (ABM and others)
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Services (MAWD, STEM)
• Social Media Consultancy (almost all strands)
• Tour Guiding Services (TOPS)
• Transcription Services (HUMSS, GAS, and others)
• Virtual Assistance (almost all strands)
• Voice Talent Services (almost all strands)
• Web Design and Development (MAWD, STEM)
• White Hat Hacking Services (MAWD, STEM, and others)
• and many more for SHS graduates…

Without a doubt, Senior High School program is more than just adding two more years of basic education, rather another dedicated years of equipping Filipino learners with skills that entitle them to abundant opportunities – college education, employment, entrepreneurship, and freelance jobs.

Therefore, SHS graduates, as life-ready young adults, become more productive members of the Philippine society.