ABSTRACT
On-the-Job Training (OJT) is an essential component of the Philippine K-12 Senior High School curriculum, especially the Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) track. However, in barangays with limited employment opportunities, such as Roxas, Palawan, the implementation of an industry immersion program is limited. Hence, this study aims to explore the perceptions, levels of interest, and support of TVL Senior HS Industrial Arts students and local community residents for a community-based OJT program. The study design was descriptive comparative-correlational. The participants in the study were Industrial Arts students and selected community members in Roxas, Palawan. Based on the study’s findings, students tend to be younger males and come from low-income families. While, most community respondents are middle-aged males who are often employed as skilled workers/technicians. Student participants were very interested in the community-based OJT program. They were also interested in the ability to apply what they learned, improve their skills, and work with mentors in a real-world environment. Community members showed a very high level of willingness and readiness to support OJT through mentoring, resource sharing, and establishing partnerships between schools and the local business community. Additionally, the demographic characteristics of students did not affect levels of interest in the community-based OJT program while the specialization of the student had a significant effect on how much they were interested in the skill-related aspects of the program.
Keywords: On-The-Job Training, Industrial Arts Students, Community Members, Workplace, Skilled Workers
INTRODUCTION
On-the-Job Training (OJT) has been seen as a key element of training since time immemorial, being a middle ground between classroom theory and work application (Balat and Karaman, 2025). For example, countries in Europe and North America institutionalize OJT within apprenticeships and internship frameworks that align with national workforce development policies. Similarly, distance education institutions in Turkey and practice-based models in Finland illustrate how OJT adapts to varying contexts (Buzzelli, & Asafo-Adjei, 2022). Considering these benefits, OJT's worldwide perspective also shows enduring problems, such as unequal access to host institutions, student labor exploitation, a mismatch between training assignments and curriculum objectives, and the difficulties of maintaining constant quality standards. These problems show that although OJT is regarded as a potent educational instrument, its effectiveness primarily rests on how well it is organized, monitored, and incorporated into the curriculum.
In the Philippine setting, OJT has also been formally integrated into the K to 12 Senior High School Curriculum, particularly under the Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) track. Senior High School students are required to undergo immersion programs that provide firsthand experience in industries or communities relevant to their chosen specializations. For Industrial Arts, Home Economics, and Information and Communication Technology strands, OJT functions as a foundation that allows learners to apply classroom-acquired knowledge in actual workplace or community-based contexts (Ligawad, 2025). While many schools have successfully partnered with companies and local enterprises to facilitate these immersions, challenges remain, especially in rural areas where access to industries is limited, logistical support is inadequate, and the monitoring of student learning outcomes can be inconsistent, such as Roxas, Palawan.
This is aggregable in the situation of the researcher; this is one of the gaps is particularly evident in the implementation of OJT for Industrial Arts specializations. Students often lack adequate opportunities for hands-on experience due to limited partnerships with industries and insufficient local facilities that can simulate real workplace environments. Furthermore, this encourages the researcher to search for alternative and innovative models of experiential learning that can better prepare students not only with technical skills but also with community-related values. Furthermore, the researcher agrees that On-the-Job Training (OJT) placements in companies often result in limited student engagement because many establishments prioritize their regular operations over providing meaningful hands-on mentoring, which can lead to a less enriching and less practical experience for students (Fuentes et. al., 2024).
With this, the researcher emphasizes the necessity of exploring the community-based OJT also known as community immersion, which has been a widely adopted approach in international education, giving rise to various community-based learning activities that connect students with real-world settings beyond the classroom through community environment (Manuel et. al., 2025). According to Zamiri and Esmaeili, (2024), this is a strategy that addresses both educational and societal needs by engaging students directly with local communities and workplaces, allowing them to apply their knowledge, develop practical skills, and contribute meaningfully to community development.
This growing interest in exploring community-based OJT models centers on partnerships between schools, local communities, and the Local Government Unit (LGU). By tapping into barangay-level projects, schools can localize the training process while promoting inclusive development and practical skills acquisition among students. This approach also opens opportunities for LGU involvement in supporting youth training, community services, and microenterprise engagement. This study aims to examine the perceptions, level of interest, and support of Technical Vocational Livelihood (TVL) Senior High School Industrial Arts students and local community members toward the implementation of a community-based On-the-Job Training (OJT) program. Specifically, it seeks to determine how students’ demographic characteristics influence their interest in participating in community-based OJT opportunities, and to assess the extent to which community members are willing and prepared to collaborate with schools in providing relevant training experiences. Through the analysis of both student and community perspectives, the study intends to identify potential gaps, strengths, and areas for improvement in establishing an effective community–school partnership. Ultimately, the findings of this research will serve as the basis for the development of a responsive and sustainable action plan that will enhance the implementation of community-based OJT programs for Industrial Arts students.
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