Teachers’ Lived Experiences in the Implementation of the Senior High School Work Immersion Program in Public Secondary Schools
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55687/ste.v5i2.467Keywords:
work immersion, senior high school, lived experiences, school-industry partnership, career readiness, qualitative research, K–12 educationAbstract
The Senior High School Work Immersion Program serves as a critical component of the K–12 curriculum designed to provide learners with authentic workplace experiences, practical competencies, and career readiness skills aligned with their chosen academic strands and technical-vocational specializations. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of teachers in the implementation of the Senior High School Work Immersion Program in public secondary schools of Legislative District IV, Schools Division of Isabela. Utilizing a phenomenological qualitative research design, the study examined teachers’ perceptions, supervisory practices, implementation challenges, and professional experiences in facilitating work immersion activities among senior high school learners. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, document analysis, and field observations involving fifteen purposively selected Senior High School teachers and work immersion coordinators. Thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s framework was employed in analyzing the collected data. Findings revealed five major themes: (1) Work Immersion as Preparation for Career Readiness and Real-World Learning; (2) Teacher Roles as Facilitators, Supervisors, and Industry Coordinators; (3) Industry Partnership Challenges and Logistical Constraints; (4) Learner Development, Workplace Adjustment, and Professional Growth; and (5) Teacher Resilience, Adaptability, and Commitment in Program Implementation. Participants emphasized that work immersion significantly enhanced learners’ communication skills, work ethics, self-confidence, and career awareness. However, teachers also encountered challenges related to limited industry partners, transportation difficulties, learner monitoring concerns, documentation requirements, and mismatches between learner specialization and workplace placement. Despite these constraints, participants demonstrated commitment and adaptability in sustaining meaningful immersion experiences for learners. The study concludes that effective implementation of the Work Immersion Program requires strengthened school-industry partnerships, institutional support, collaborative planning, and continuous teacher capacity-building initiatives. Findings provide implications for curriculum implementation, technical-vocational education, school-industry collaboration, and educational policy enhancement in Senior High School education.
Keywords: work immersion, senior high school, lived experiences, school-industry partnership, career readiness, qualitative research, K–12 education
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