José Ignacio Méndez

José Ignacio Méndez, 38, is a mathematics teacher who transitioned to academia after a career in the private sector. He is currently pursuing a master's degree in secondary education while teaching mathematics at the Instituto Elisa Soriano Fischer in Getafe. His experience highlights the challenges faced by educators entering the profession without the requisite qualifications, as he began teaching in the final stretch of the previous school year after being hired to fill a sudden vacancy.