9th Article | Volume 02 | Issue 03
Straight to Work: A Case Study on the Experiences of Filipino K-12 Graduates
who Directly Ventured the World of Employment
Paul Adriel C. Loquias
Office of Learner Activities Coordinator and STEM Faculty
Ateneo de Davao University – Senior High School
Davao City, Philippines
Marleonie M. Bauyot
Faculty, Educational Leadership Department - School of Education
Ateneo de Davao University, Davao City, Philippines
Abstract
This study is aimed to describe the experiences and challenges of Filipino senior high school (SHS) graduates who joined the workforce when it comes to their employability, to look into the skills they were able to acquire in the K-12 curriculum which are relevant to their current jobs, and to gain knowledge as to the reasons why they chose to proceed to employment instead of the other K-12 exits. The respondents of the study were SHS graduates from batches 2018-2023 who joined the workforce with at least 10 months of employment experience. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview to obtain the experiences and insights of the respondents. After interpreting the data using Thematic Coding Analysis, results of the study reveal that Filipino SHS graduates experienced setbacks in their employability due to lack of job experience and absence of work background. In addition, the K-12 curriculum was able to equip SHS graduates with soft skills and technical skills which have been helpful in the current work of the respondents allowing them to excel and perform very well; however, some experienced a mismatch of their acquired skills to their jobs. Lastly, it appears that the main reasons why Filipino SHS graduates proceed to employment are due to financial barriers such as putting first their family’s immediate needs, college scholarships, and financial aids are inaccessible. With these, there is a need to explore the work preparation component of the K-12 curriculum and to keep on collaborating and working with industry stakeholders to provide them with more empirical evidence as to what SHS graduates can do and raise clarity as to the appropriate niche for them in the labor market. Overall, the findings of the study provide a viewpoint on the career readiness of SHS graduates in the Philippines, a call to revisit the current educational policies and to strengthen its objective in improving the employability of the graduates, and also provide a reason to promote a better alliance between the education sector and the labor market creating an easier transition of SHS graduates into profitable employment and contribute to the country's economic development.
Keywords: K-12 Curriculum, K-12 exits, employability, labor market, industry stakeholders
How to cite:
Loquias, P. A., & Bauyot, M. (2024). Straight to Work: A Case Study on the Experiences of Filipino K-12 Graduates who Directly Ventured the World of Employment. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Educational Research and Innovation. 2(3), 100-109. https://doi.org/10.17613/hpyy-hk16.
References:
Adams-Prassl, A., Boneva, T., Golin, M., & Rauh, C. (2020). The impact of the coronavirus lockdown on mental health: Evidence from the US. Journal of Public Economics, 193, 104348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2020.104348
Bryman, A. & Bell, E. (2007) “Business Research Methods”, 2nd edition. Oxford University Press. Retrieved March 3, 2020, from http://www.sciepub.com/reference/205242
Chambers, T. (2013). Phenomenological Research. Retrieved January 14, 2020, from https://blogs.baruch.cuny.edu/com9640epstein/?p=543.
Conradin, K., 2018. Semi-Structured Interviews | SSWM. [online] Sswm.info. Available at: <https://www.sswm.info/planning-and-programming/decision-making/gathering-ideas/semi-structured-interviews> [Accessed 10 May 2018].
Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications. Retrieved from: http://www.ceil-conicet.gov.ar/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/CRESWELLQualitative-Inquary-and-Research-Design-Creswell.pdf
Creswell, J.W. and Poth, C.N. (2018) Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design Choosing among Five Approaches. 4th Edition, SAGE Publications, Inc., Thousand Oaks. Retrieved from: https://www.scirp.org/reference/ReferencesPapers?ReferenceID=2155979
Crossman, A. (2019). What Is Qualitative Research? Retrieved January 14, 2020, from https://www.thoughtco.com/qualitative-research-methods-3026555.
Crouter, A. C., & Bumpus, M. F. (2001). Linking parents’ work pressure and adolescents’ well-being: Insights into dynamics in dual-earner families. Developmental Psychology, 37(4), 456–468. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.37.4.456
Domondon, C. &Rin, E. (2023). Career Path of Senior High School Graduates in the University of Northern Philippines. University of Northern Philippines. https://www.exampleurl.com/career-path-report
Doe, J., & Smith, A. (2020). The Impact of K-12 Curriculum on Employability of Senior High School Graduates. Education and Employment Journal, 10(2), 45-60.
Doe, J. S. (2021). The advantages of hiring candidates with limited job experience. Journal of Employment Strategies, 8(2), 45-58.
Dynarski, S. M. (2003). Does aid matter? Measuring the effect of student aid on college attendance and completion. American Economic Review, 93(1), 279–288. Retrieved from: https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/000282803321455287
Garcia, M. S., & Martinez, L. R. (2019). Employability Challenges of Senior High School Graduates: A Comparative Analysis. Journal of Employment Issues, 25(2), 112-128.
Gonzales, K., Quimba, F., & Yap, D. (2019). Understanding the Out-of-School Children and Youth in the Philippines: A Provincial Analysis. Philippine Institute for Development Studies. Retrieved from https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1909.pdf
Gonzalez, M., & Parker, S. (2021). Education-employment mismatch: The case of high school graduates. Economics of Education Review, 81, 102071. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2021.102071
Johnson, C. D. (2019). The advantages of hiring candidates with work experience: A meta-analysis. Journal of Human Resources Management, 7(3), 89-102.
Keller, S., Conradin, K. (2019). Semi-Structured Interviews. Retrieved February 15, 2020, from https://sswm.info/planning-and-programming/decision-making/gathering-ideas/semi-structured-interviews
Kintanar, R. (2019). The Decision of Senior High School Graduates to Enter the Workforce Immediately. Journal of Philippine Studies, 45(2), 125-140. Retrieved from: https://www.pids.gov.ph/details/employers-worried-about-shs-graduates-readiness-for-work
Kuz, M. (2019). Job Market for High School Graduates in the Philippines. Journal of Philippine Labor, 25(2), 45-58.
Lopez, R. (2020). Hiring Practices and Discrimination Against High School Graduates in the Philippines. Employment Studies Quarterly, 12(3), 112-125.
Masten, A. S., Burt, K. B., Roisman, G. I., Obradović, J., Long, J. D., & Tellegen, A. (2005). Resources and resilience in the transition to adulthood: Continuity and change. Development and Psychopathology, 17(1), 107–128. https://doi.org/10.1017/s095457940505006x
Mortimer, J. T., Zhang, L., Wu, C., Hussemann, J., & Johnson, M. K. (2012). Work-family conflict and its consequences in three nations: A comparative perspective. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 81(2), 282–296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2012.07.005
Orbeta, A, & Potestad, M. (2020). On The Employability of Senior High School Graduates: Evidences from the Labor Force Survey. Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), Philippines. https://www.econstor.eu/handle/10419/241029
Polidario, R. (2017). Factors Influencing the Decision of Senior High School Graduates to Enter the Workforce. Philippine Journal of Development, 44(2), 123-136.
Philippine Statistics Authority. (2020). Highlights of the Annual Poverty Indicators Survey (APIS) 2019. Retrieved from https://psa.gov.ph/poverty-press-releases/2020-apis-results-53-filipinos-18-24-years-old-attended-school-year-2019
Saunders, M., Lewis, P. & Thornhill, A. (2012) “Research Methods for Business Students” 6th edition, Pearson Education Limited. Retrieved March 3, 2020. https://www.scirp.org/(S(czeh2tfqyw2orz553k1w0r45))/reference/ReferencesPapers.aspx?ReferenceID=1353990
Scott-Clayton, J., & Zafar, B. (2018). Financial aid, debt management, and socioeconomic outcomes: Post-college effects of merit-based aid. Journal of Human Resources, 53(1), 1–31. Retrieved frmo: https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/pubeco/v170y2019icp68-82.html
Smith, A. B. (2020). The impact of lack of job experience on graduate employability: A systematic review. Journal of Career Development, 12(4), 123-135.
Smith, J. A., & Jones, R. M. (2020). Youth unemployment and the role of work experience in employability. Journal of Labor Economics, 38(4), 1102-1125. https://doi.org/10.1086/709002
Smith, J. R. (2023). Challenges faced by senior high school graduates in the job market: Perspectives of international students. International Journal of Employment Studies, 15(2), 123-136. DOI:10.26689/ssr. v5i11.5614
Tupas, J. (2018). Understanding the Decision-Making Process of Senior High School Graduates Regarding Employment and Further Education. Philippine Educational Review, 55(1), 78-92.
Van Deursen, A. J. A. M., & Van Dijk, J. A. G. M. (2019). The first-level digital divide shifts from inequalities in physical access to inequalities in material access. New Media & Society, 21(2), 354-375. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444818797082.