Work immersion performance appraisal and evaluation of Grade 12 STEM students in science and technology-based industries

In the Philippines, youth unemployment continues to hinder meaningful economic development due to job-skills mismatch, lack of knowledge and skills training, and work experiences. To address the problem, Department of Education's (DepEd) K to12 Program added two (2) years of Senior High School which is an advantage for students to develop relevant skills as early as high school. One of the goals of the K to 12 Basic Education Program is to develop the competencies, work ethic, and values relevant to pursuing further education and/or joining the world of work among learners. This study involved twenty-five (25) Grade 12 STEM strand students who were immersed in a science and technology-based industries. The work immersion lasted for eighty (80) hours where students performed different tasks assigned to them by the work immersion partner institution supervisors. The students' performance appraisal and evaluation were evaluated by their respective supervisors. Results showed that most of the students were evaluated outstanding and that their performance exceeds the required standard. The positive learning gains suggest that work immersion enables the students to acquire and develop the skills of teamwork, communication, attendance and punctuality, productivity and resilience, initiative and proactivity, judgment and decision making, dependability and reliability, attitude, and professionalism. Moreover, the students perceived their experiences as an avenue to test themselves and apply what they have learned in a non-school scenario where they were not only able to apply their previous training but are also able to experience the social interactions in a work environment. Their experiences in science-based work immersion partner institutions developed many skills and values that would help them as they move from high school to real life.