Senior High School Work Immersion Program: Status, Practices, Concerns, and Prospects Caroline Breis-Quintana

Thesis Doctor of Philosophy major in Educational Management University of Rizal System Pililla

This study assessed the implementation of the Work Immersion Program (WIP) in the public and private secondary schools with Senior High School (SHS) Program in the Province of Rizal this School Year 2022-2023. The study focused on describing the profile of the 47 schools with SHS program offering TVL track, the status and difference in the WIP implementation, the best practices, the concerns encountered, the strategies utilized and the prospects for the WIP. The findings resulted in a model for enhancing the WIP implementation. It was assumed that the participants similarly implement the WIP Statistical tools such as Frequency and Percentage Distribution, Mean, and One- way ANOVA were used, likewise, thematic analysis was used to arrive at the findings and conclusions of the study. The study utilized the descriptive evaluative method of research through survey and interview involving 47 SHS Coordinators, 47 SHS Work Immersion Partnership Focal Person, and 62 Work Immersion teachers selected through purposive sampling Stratified sampling technique was applied for the survey respondents. Ten randomly-selected trainees, parents, and industry trainers identified through Snowball sampling also participated in the interview for determining the challenges met during the WIP implementation. Specifically, the expert-validated survey questionnaires were sent in electronic form to the respective entail addresses of the respondents, also, printed copies were given to those having difficulty accessing and responding to the survey link. The researcher observed ethical considerations by securing the participants' informed consent and discussing Republic Act 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012 to emphasize the observance of confidentiality and anonymity throughout the conduct of the study. Findings revealed that majority of the schools with SHS program cater to diverse learners accommodated in partnership with 11 to 15 industries. WIP curriculum delivery was facilitated by 11 to 15 work immersion teachers with between 2 to 3 Work Immersion Partnership Focal Person/Coordinator. Most of the schools also have complete essential facilities and equipment that remain functional at the time of the study. With regard to the status of the WIP, the participants assessed it as fully implemented especially with respect to Curriculum Implementation. Compliance and Enhancement through localization, indigenization, and research-based interventions. However, there is a need to boost the implementation of Industry Engagement especially in campaigning for the expansion of school linkages with other industries and institutions. The result also showed that the schools similarly assessed the status of the WIP implementation; likewise, when grouped by Industry Partners and TVL Track Facilities and Equipment where the participants differ in their assessment with respect to Assessment of Student Progress. The study also revealed that the schools' best practices revolve around contextualizing the work immersion curriculum delivery, evidence-based learning assessment, retooling and up skilling SHS work immersion teachers, maintaining open communication to industry partners, and strengthening accountability. The concerns encountered by the teachers were mostly about the changing needs of industry partners, development of tailor-fit performance assessment tool, difficulty in adapting the work immersion trends, and expenses incurred during work immersion. For the trainees, they had to deal with indefinite scope of work, perceived biases on WI deployment and performance assessment, being misunderstood by trainers, and workplace culture shock. On the other hand, the HTE trainers encountered concerns such as soft skills immaturity, resistance to maximize work skills, and lack of skills required in the immersion workplace among trainees. Meanwhile, the parents' concerns were more on the cost of sending their child to work immersion. Relative to this, the strategies utilized by the schools to address the concerns encountered include skills set inventory, bench-mark sessions for work immersion trends, contextualizing the phases and procedures of the work immersion program implementation, encouraging feedback for work immersion quality improvement, and Constant Review of the MOA/MOU Provisions. The findings suggest the need for a unified partnership. Conclusively, the schools were capable of sustaining the WIP implementation and successful in implementing the WI curriculum but need to work on middle-term outcomes and long-term impacts for the students. Also, the schools implement contextualization of the WIP curriculum and localize student performance assessment tools, and have the necessary inputs to institutionalize their best practices in the WIP implementation. It was also concluded that the concerns encountered in the WIP implementation were focused on industry dynamics, objectivity of skills assessment, congruence between conceptual and practical skills, resistance and workplace culture shock, skill fade, missed focus and cost. Clustering students based on skills, adapting practices from best performing schools, contextualization and localization of the curriculum, and strengthening accountability were seen as workable strategies.