ABSTRACT
This study examined the performance and satisfaction of Senior High School learners with work immersion in the Third Congressional District, Schools Division of Iloilo, Philippines, for School Year 2024–2025. Guided by Vygotsky’s Socio-Cultural Theory, Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory, Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, and Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, the research employed a descriptive-correlational design. A total of 311 Grade 12 learners were selected through random sampling. Data were collected using a validated researcher-made questionnaire and secondary records of learners’ grades, and analyzed using the mean, t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson’s r at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that learners’ overall performance in work immersion was Outstanding, while their satisfaction level was Very High. No significant differences were found in their performance when grouped by sex, school size, location, or municipality, but a significant difference emerged across strands, with Industrial Arts learners obtaining the highest mean. Learners’ satisfaction in work immersion showed a significant difference when classified by sex, favoring female respondents, but no significant variation was noted across strand, school size, location, and municipality. Moreover, no significant relationship was found between learners’ performance and satisfaction. The study concludes that learners demonstrated commendable competence and high satisfaction with their immersion experiences, affirming the effectiveness of the program in developing workplace skills and attitudes.
Keywords: Senior High School work immersion, performance, satisfaction
INTRODUCTION
Work immersion is an essential component of senior high school education, designed to bridge the gap between theoretical learning and real-world application. It provides learners with hands-on experience in actual workplace settings, allowing them to develop essential skills, enhance their competencies, and gain a deeper understanding of their chosen career paths. According to Dela Cruz and Mendoza (2021), students who underwent structured pre-immersion orientation and skills workshops exhibited higher task efficiency and greater satisfaction with their immersion experience.
In an ideal setting, students would enter work immersion with a strong foundation in both technical and soft skills, enabling them to perform efficiently and adapt to real-world challenges. Schools, in collaboration with industry partners, would provide comprehensive preparatory programs that include career orientation, skills training, and workplace simulations. This approach would help learners build confidence, enhance problem-solving abilities, and foster a strong work ethic. However, Santos and Villanueva (2022) emphasized that a lack of communication skills, adaptability, and initiative is a common barrier to success during immersion, directly affecting both the quality of learners' performance and their overall satisfaction with the experience.
This study seeks to explore these real-world challenges by examining learners’ actual experiences during immersion—specifically focusing on their performance and satisfaction—and identifying key areas for improvement. The rationale behind this study lies in the need to ensure that work immersion programs are not only implemented but are also effective in producing competent and satisfied learners prepared for future careers. While numerous initiatives focus on readiness before immersion, less attention has been given to the actual quality of learner performance and the level of satisfaction during the immersion itself. This highlights a significant gap in the literature: the lack of comprehensive assessment tools and empirical studies that link learners’ performance and satisfaction with contextual factors such as strand-industry alignment, workplace relevance, and support systems.
According to Reyes, Pascual, and Lim (2023), learners whose immersion placements were aligned with their academic strands reported higher levels of satisfaction and demonstrated improved performance, underscoring the importance of proper industry matching. Despite the growing recognition of work immersion as a vital component of senior high school education, several gaps remain unaddressed. One key gap is the absence of detailed evaluations of learner performance during immersion—not just in terms of completion or attendance, but in how well students apply skills, adapt to workplace demands, and derive satisfaction from the experience. Moreover, limited empirical data currently exist to establish a direct relationship between learners’ actual performance and their immersion satisfaction, making it difficult to develop targeted and evidence-based improvements in program design.
By examining the factors that contribute to successful work immersion, this research aims to improve training interventions, refine curricula, and strengthen collaboration between educational institutions and industries. Ultimately, the findings will provide valuable insights into how work immersion can be optimized to better equip students with the skills, competencies, and satisfaction necessary for their future careers.
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