Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region IV-A Calabarzon
Division of Batangas
District of Ibaan
Dr. Juan A. Pastor Memorial National High School – Senior High School
Talaibon, Ibaan, Batangas

Challenges Faced by Tourism Students in Work Immersion

A Research Study

Presented to

The Faculty of Senior High School

Talaibon, Ibaan, Batangas

In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements on the Academic Strand

Technical Vocational and Livelihood

(TVL)

Names of the Proponents

Amargo, John Paul A.

Espineda, Ryan Miguel M.

Japor, Kayla D.

Roallos, John Vincent R.

Salazar, Adrian M.

Villanueva, Arc Rolan D.

 Chapter I

The Problem and its Background

Challenges Faced by Tourism Students in Work Immersion

Introduction

In the Philippines, youth unemployment hampers meaningful economic development.

The sector’s lack of knowledge, skills, and work experience puts them at a disadvantage. One

way to address this is through the Department of Education’s Senior High School (SHS)

program, ushered by the K-12 education reform. One of its components, the work immersion

program, provides students “real workplace” experience, giving students a set of technical-

vocational and livelihood skills that can help them make more informed career choices and

improve their employment prospects.

This story tells how the Coalitions for Change (CfC) program collaboratively worked with

national and local governments and industries to address policy gaps in the SHS Work

Immersion program. So far, the intervention is working well with a high passing rate in National

Certification for tourism-related specializations and some graduates joining the workforce right

after graduation.

Based from these facts, this study claim on the focus of the objectives of work Immersion that

by the time learners reach Senior High School, they would have already acquired most of the

competencies and skills that would prepare them for the curriculum exits. Work immersion

provides them with an avenue to test themselves and apply what they have learned in a non-
school scenario. In work immersion, learners are not only able to apply their previous training

but are also able to experience the social interactions in a work environment. Their experiences

during work immersion will develop many skills and values that would help them as they

transition from high school to real life. In addition, Dep.Ed. Order No. 40,s.2015 believed that in

order to achieve its desired goals and objectives work immersion needs to establish

partnerships for work immersion opportunities for students among others.

In Dr. Juan A. Pastor Memorial National High School, Tourism Students undergo Work

Immersion through Housekeeping at different Hotels. However, many challenges cropped in its

implementation which the internal stakeholders like school, teachers, parents ,students and

partner institutions concern on the achievements of the objectives remains a challenge.

This research was conducted to determine the challenges faced by Tourism students in Work

immersion and for the readers to be aware and understand the effects of the challenges the

Tourism students faced and how may the teachers prepare their students towards these

challenges to improve awareness, readiness, and skillfulness of each students to the upcoming

challenges. Also to guide future researchers conducting the same study.

Theoretical Framework

The present study is anchored on the theory of Experiential Education Theory which

states that all programs that are designed to expand the setting of learning experiences beyond

the traditional school environment to occupational and community settings and these programs

use planned experiences to promote cooperation between traditional educational institutions

 and business, industry, labor, government and community groups to support learning. This

Theory was first used in 1982 and was popularized by Juliet Miller. This Theory is the

researchers’ guide in determining the Challenges faced by the students in Work immersion,

because this theory explained that all programs are designed to expand the setting of learning

experiences beyond the traditional school environment to occupational and community settings.

And the present study discussed about the Challenges faced by the students in Work

immersion.

Conceptual Framework

The paradigm in Figure 1 presents the framework and the flow on how the study was

conducted. The first box pertains to the input of the research study which refers to the

challenges faced by Tourism students in Work immersion. The second box pertains to the

process of the research study. This pertains to the survey questionnaire and interview which

were both used by the researchers. The third box pertains to the output of the research study.

This refers to the recommendations given by the researchers.

Input Process Output

Profile of the respondents in Survey questionnaire
terms of:
-Age;
-Sex;
-Year Graduated Interview

Challenges Faced by Tourism

Students towards Work Statistical Techniques Recommendations
Immersion in terms of:
-Time Management;
-Work place relations; and
-Skills and Competencies

How are the identified

challenges addressed by the
Tourism Students?
Figure 1
The Research Paradigm
Statement of the Problem

The purpose of this study is to determine the Challenges Faced by Tourism Students in

Work Immersion.

Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of:

1.1 Age;

1.2 Sex; and

1.3 Year Graduated?

2. What are the challenges faced by Tourism students in Work immersion in terms of:

2.1 Time Management

2.2 Work Place relations; and

2.3 Skills and Competencies?

3. How are the identified challenges addressed by the Tourism students?

4. Is there a significant relationship between the challenges faced by Tourism students and

the profile variable?

5. What recommendations could be given based on the findings?

Hypothesis

There is no significant relationship between the challenges faced by Tourism students

and the profile variables.

Scope and Limitation

This study focused on determining the challenges faced by Tourism students in Work

immersion. It also included the Time management, Work place relations, and the Skills and

competencies.

This study is limited only to 50 respondents. This study did not include Tourism

graduates of other schools.

Significance of the Study

This study is deemed significant for its contribution to the following groups of individuals.

DJAPMNHS Administrators. This study would help them because this will identify

the problems encountered by Tourism students in Work immersion therefore will help them

improve the program of the Work immersion.

Teachers. This study would help them because they will be able to determine the

problems encountered by the Tourism students and will be able to raise the awareness of

students towards their Work immersion.

 Tourism Students. This study would help them because it will be a venue for them

to air out the different problems they encountered.

Future Researchers. This study would serve as basis for future researchers

conducting the same study.

Definition of Terms

The following terms were defined conceptually and operationally.

Challenges. A difficult task or problem: something that is hard to do (Merriam Webster ,2019).

In this study, it refers to the problems that are encountered in the Work immersion.

Skills and Competencies. A person’s ability to do something well and also as an expertise

and the ability to do something successfully or efficiently (Oxford Dictionary, 2019). In this study,

it refers to whether the students’ abilities are competent for his/her assigned workplace.

Time Management. The analysis of how working hours are spent and the prioritization of

tasks in order to maximize personal efficiency in the workplace (Dictionary ,2019). In this study,

it refers to how time is efficiently spent for the Work immersion.

Work Place relations. Workplace relationships are unique interpersonal relationships with

important implications for the individuals in those relationships, and the organizations in which

the relationships exist and develop. Workplace relationships directly affect a worker's ability and

drive to succeed (Wikipedia ,2019). In this study, it refers to the relations of different workplace’s

of each student.