Emil Allan Capili had spent three decades mastering the restaurant business, overseeing everything from supply chains to construction projects. He was a seasoned professional on track to become CEO, yet the thought of speaking in front of a classroom left him panicked.
“Public speaking was also my fear since high school, so I get nervous whenever I talk in front of a lot of people,” he said. At 43, after 15 years away from school, doubts were relentless. “Kaya ko pa ba mag-aral ulit? At age 43, my memory has not been as sharp as 15 years ago.”
For professionals considering going back to school, that fear is common—and according to executives who have made the leap, it can also be the very thing holding them back from the next stage of their career.
Capili was successful but stuck. As a key leader at Biggs, a restaurant institution in Bicol, he knew operations inside out—from daily management and supply chains to marketing, branding, and franchising. But excelling at your current job doesn’t always prepare you for the next one.
“The CEO is different from the COO,” Capili said. “The CEO is the visionary, living in the future and responsible for charting the company’s course.”
Graduate education helps fill that gap, not by teaching you to do your current job better, but by preparing you for the role you haven’t held yet.
Capili’s biggest breakthrough came in a Self-Mastery class.
“I realized I had been unhappy at times in my career, almost quitting because work and personal life clashed,” he said. “I learned the two should be aligned, not in conflict.”
Going back to school helped him discover frameworks to run a business more effectively—and his personal purpose.
Frankie Cortez, chief of operations at the Office of Civil Defense-Cordillera, said the motivation was urgent. He enrolled in the Executive Master in Disaster Risk and Crisis Management to respond better to escalating climate disasters.
“With climate change and disasters, the timing was perfect,” he said. Leaders must keep up as technology, consumer behavior, and crises evolve. Cortez learned leadership is earned, not given. “It’s about credibility, authenticity, and earning people’s trust,” he said. He shifted from handling tasks alone to co-creating results with his team.
Both executives said the benefits of going back to school go beyond promotions or higher pay.
“Business frameworks are shortcuts in life,” Capili said. “They let you spot patterns and solutions quickly.” Cortez measures success in partnerships built, lives saved, and communities protected. “I can now better deliver my oath as a public servant,” he said.
Their advice to those on the fence: “He who hesitates, loses,” Cortez said. “Learning is an investment in yourself and the future.” Capili added, “A master’s program gives you knowledge and a network of the best, brightest, and most motivated professionals.”
Going back to school while working full-time is challenging, but it forces professionals to ask: Am I learning fast enough to stay relevant? Am I building skills for the role I want, not just the one I have?
These stories show that reaching the next level depends on embracing growth and new challenges, not age or memory. The most courageous professionals are those who keep learning and expanding their skills.
