Relevance of Immersion Site to the Preferred Degree Course of Stem Students

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Work Immersion is the prescribed eighty-hour exposure SHS students have to complete as a requirement for graduation. It primarily aims to develop work values and expose the students in different work immersion site for business and industrial work environment to deepen their interest in their preferred college degree. This study is conducted to determine the relevance of immersion site to the preferred degree course of STEM students during the Academic Year 2017-2018.

METHODS

The self-structured interview questionnaire prepared and administered for all Grade 12 STEM students (SY 2017-2018) as the primary tool in gathering data. The students' preferred college courses were obtained and the work immersion sites activities were identified to determine their relevance. Interviews were also conducted to validate the data gathered.

RESULTS

The respondents preferred courses are BS Chemical Engineering, BS Civil Engineering, BS BIT-Mechanical, BS Criminology and BS Education and the assigned immersion sites for them are City Engineers' Office (CEO), Office of the City Veterinary and Agricultural Services (OCVAS), Liga ng mga Barangay or ABC Office, PNP-Warrant Subpoena Section, and Kumintang Central Elementary School. Majority of the activities the students were engaged are perceived to be relevant while there are few that are not.

DISCUSSIONS

Work Immersion enlightens every learner on the reality of the workplace. It helps them enhance their communication skills, provide them the real work situations to adjust, makes them familiar with equipment and materials, and gives them a better view of their preferred degree courses. Though there are those who claims that their work immersion site is not aligned to his preferred college course, they considers other office works which are not related to their chosen field could still provide experiences for life-long learning skills. ASHS is advised to look for more work immersion partners to provide more relevant work immersion engagement to the STEM students.