CHAPTER II

Review of Related
Literature
 In many countries like United States, united Kingdom, Canada and other European countries, the
international idea about employ-ability has been applied to their student to guarantee necessary work
skills acquisition towards job maintenance and proficiency (Sermsuka et al., 2013). Certainly the
concept of concentration of work skills development among students is to ensure employ-ability, hence,
can lessen their chances of unemployment in the future.
in line with this, numerous research studies have been conducted about skills needed by the
graduates in preparation for their future employment. Like in the research of Moore (2015) which
highlighted the skills that are crucial for education and success in the workplace. According to him, the
skills that are influential to the success of an individual were emphasized by the National Center for
Education Statistics (NCES) which include self-regulation, agency or motivation, persistence or
diligence, and executive functioning. Likewise, Wagner (2008) stressed various skills which employers
are looking for employee. Such skills are called survival skills which include critical thinking and
problem solving, the ASTR Research Journal 48 collaboration across networks and leading by
influence, agility and adaptability, initiatives and entrepreneurialism, effective oral and written
communication, accessing and analyzing information, and curiosity and imagination. He also further
elaborated that future employees must be armed with the fundamental skills such as reading, writing,
and arithmetic.
 Undeniably, education is one of the significant approaches to enhance the qualities and attributes of
the graduates appropriate to the job descriptions and specifications of the employers. Indeed,
education plays a vital role in transition rates into and out of employment. The journal presented by
Boyles (2012) about undergraduate entrepreneurship education explained the importance of college
education in meeting the need for highly skilled workers leading to improve employment prospects.
Hence, acquisition of the learning competencies in school is a mean for obtaining the skills necessary
to succeed in the workplace.
Since more students are able to pursue their degrees, greater number of individuals are being
refined to enter the different industries. However, research studies have constantly showed the
insufficiency of preparation of the first-time employees. The general agreement among companies
signified that newly graduated applicants are not equipped with 21st century skills projected by the
employers (Boyles, 2012). Moreover, survey conducted by American Management Association
resulted that employers are hesitant about the capability of the higher institutions to provide enough
resources for students in enhancing their skills for their future careers (Hodge & Lear, 2011). Even
during the initial stage for employment, graduates seemed to lack the skills which will impress the
employers like curriculum vitae preparation and self-presentation at interviews (Lowden et al., 2011).
 With this predicament, the traditional standardized way of instruction has received a
general dissatisfaction for the delivery of subject matter contents. Similarly, the old techniques
in education are no longer suitable to meet the needs of the society (Wagner, 2008). More so,
students’ acquired learning competencies from the same instructional manner is a weak basis
of developing their skills. This is the primary reason why educators focused their attention on
the alternative instructional approaches that would hopefully address these difficulties with the
traditional approach of instruction. A specific instruction that is paired with hands-on learning
opportunities (Mourshed et al., 2012) or work simulation where learners can apply their
acquired knowledge, perfectly is the work immersion program.
Work Immersion Program, as a tool to acquire the necessary skills relevant to the selected
career pathways of the learners, is greatly implemented throughout the world. Jisan (2014)
mentioned that the globalization of the economy has 49 Volume 3 · November 2019
established a serious need for business schools to prepare the graduates with knowledge and
skills relevant to international business practices.
 Like the other countries in the world, the Philippines is affected by the unpredictable
changes carried by globalization in the labor market. Undoubtedly, these deviations of the
global industries has created opportunities but with challenges and difficulties to both
education and employment sectors (Abas & Imam, 2016). This is the primary motive why the
two sectors has started to establish interplay and cooperation between each other to
complement the educational experience of the graduates to the expected work skills of the
labor market.
The study about the employ-ability skills and job performance of the newly hired graduates
in the southern-part of Mindanao resulted that being more proficient in conceptual and
analytical skills can give employees with more benefits in possessing appropriate behavior
within the workplace (Abas & Imam, 2016). The research further revealed that enough
responses of the labor agencies and higher academic institutions to the need of developing
competence on employ-ability skills may resolve the dilemmas on job performance of the
workforce.
 In the same way, the study of Plantilla (2017) about the performance of the graduates of
University of Rizal System in Pililla in the workplace learned that the employers were
precisely satisfied on their performance specifically the knowledge and understanding of the
job, general skills, specialized skills and even personal qualities. He further emphasized that
this is due to the mandate of the institution to prepare the students in the work environment
with exemplary level of knowledge and skills required by the employers. More so, the research
also revealed the indicators for evaluating the job performance of the graduates. These include
the job skills necessary for the accomplishment of the duties and responsibilities and
communication skills for the connections established within the workplace both written and
oral. In addition, the research of Caiyod et al., (2015) about the factors associated to fresh
graduates’ employ-ability in the hospitality industry of Lyceum of the Philippines University –
Laguna concluded that human resources managers considered applicants’ profile, soft
competencies, work experience, physical appearance, and the level of education attained as
key features to employment. Graduates should also capitalize with industry-related internships
to take advantage among other applicants.
 Nonetheless, the country is still overwhelmed with high rates of unemployment due to the
increased labor force growth which out casted the number of created formal works. Hence, the
Philippine educational system perseveres to resolve the joblessness of most of the graduates
because education The ASTR Research Journal 50 has always been considered as the main
gear to uplift the country’s economic status in terms of employment (Ocampo et al., 2012). As
a result, the Department of Education has implemented the K to 12 Curriculum to realize the
development of the graduates well-matched for the 21st century skills.
Indeed, the aim of the educational system of the country is to produce graduates with
professional competence in the workplace. Thus, the efficiency of a program in education
implemented by an institution can be measured through the performance of the graduates in
terms of knowledge and skills gained and utilized in the work environment (Plantilla, 2017).
 To further achieve greater competence among the graduates, the Department of Education
has integrated Work Immersion Program as one of the subjects in the Senior High School
curriculum. In the DepEd Order No. 30, s. 2017, also known as Guidelines for Work
Immersion, Work Immersion refers to the subject which involves hands-on experience or work
simulation in which learners can apply their competencies and acquired knowledge relevant to
their tracks. In addition, the subject offers to learners the opportunities: (1) to become familiar
with the workplace, (2) to experience employment simulation, and (3) to apply their
competencies in areas of specialization or applied subjects in authentic work environments. In
view of the foregoing, the subject permits the learners to become mindful about the genuine
setting of the workplace that will help them to develop their life-long and career skills.
Furthermore, work immersion could also be utilized for decision-making particularly for
students regarding what they really want as a career in the future. By practicing their
knowledge and skills, this can help them to nurture their career choice.
 The first batch of the grade 12 SHS graduates have undergone work immersion program
correlated to their selected tracks. The DepEd designed the program to expose the students to the
real work-setting environment for 80 working hours. However, the work simulation can exceed the
aforementioned time depending on the competencies needed by the learners in relation to their
chosen tracks. This is supported by the issuance of the DepEd Order No. 30 s. 2017, under Section
6, schools may choose different work immersion delivery models according to their needs and
resources by considering the number of work immersion hours, learners’ purpose and needs,
school capabilities, and compliance to the other public sectors and guidelines. Hence, the hours for
work immersion will depend upon the requirements of the industry as well as of their tracks.
More so, through the exerted effort of DepEd for this educational program, the government
agency created partnerships among other public and private sectors such as Department of Labor
and Employment (DOLE), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA),
Commission on Higher 51 Volume 3 · November 2019 Education (CHED), Philippine Business
for Education (PBE), Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and the like.
 Conclusively, work immersion program will prepare the learners to decide toward the three exits
intended for the SHS graduates. However, as far as this is a requisite for graduation, not all students
are required to undergo this program, specifically, those who are enrolled under the academic track.
Strands like ABM, STEM, and GAS as the students’ area of specialization, have alternatives for work
immersion such as research, culminating activity like business enterprise simulation (Dela Cruz,
2017). These subjects, yet merely done inside the classroom, integrate all the key concepts of the
different specializations as applied to real-life activities. Hence, DepEd welcomes innovation and
creativity among schools offering SHS.
In contrast, students engaged in TVL are mandated to experience work immersion since the track is
more on skills development. Also, SHS graduates of the TVL track may apply for TESDA Certificates
of Competency and National Certificates; and companies can even hire them after they graduate
(Department of Education, 2015). Indeed, these collaborations concentrating on technical and
vocational courses help students to explore the real environment of work. Based on the Vocational and
Technical Educational Regulation, training is obligatory for the students who complete the theoretical
and applied education which aims to improve their vocational knowledge and ability, attitude and
approach, and to accommodate their career in the real production and work environment.