RELEVANCE OF WORK IMMERSION

JAN RYAN V. MALANG

The 80-hour Work Immersion integrated in the K-12 Curriculum serves as a training ground for Senior High School students as they choose to head on to either one of the three (3) exits which are college, employment, or entrepreneurship. It aims to expose the students in the actual working environment and hone their competencies in the different learning areas. Also, it helps in shaping their work ethics and values as they are expected to act as professionals in their respective host training establishments. The Work Immersion is similar to on-the-job training (OJT) but a shortened one since it will only last for ten (10) days with eight (8) hours working time each day excluding Saturday and Sunday.

Students were assigned to different public and private institutions depending on their strand for them to have a glimpse of actual professional work environment. They also had the opportunity to apply their learning experiences inside the academe and in return will help them gather meaningful experiences that will be of great help in the near future.

Getting first hand experiences is not just the aim of this Immersion. It also aims to develop young professionals whose work ethics and values are admirable and will serve as an epitome to future trainees like them. Work Immersion taught students the value of punctuality, good working relations with subordinates and superiors, the importance of information confidentiality, and professionalism inside the workplace.

Students were actually trained to have a good working relationship with their subordinates, superiors and co-trainees. The respect for diversity is needed inside the workplace since not everyone will have the same beliefs and principles so it is a must that students will have open minds for differences so as to avoid conflicts and misunderstandings with their co-trainees. Trainees were also taught to follow their superior’s orders but not at the expense of their work ethics and principles.

The value of information confidentiality is also one of the things taught to students inside the workplace. Since there is sensitive information that they encounter while working, they were tasked to keep everything inside the office. “What you see, what you hear, when you leave, leave it here” as others will note.

And lastly, students were trained to act as professionals. When it’s time for work, focus on work. No room for unnecessary chitchat with their co-trainees and not a time for gadgets and social media. This is a sign that students really value their work.

More than the technical learning, what students essentially learn is work values and ethics. Immersion does not just nurture globally competent individuals in terms of skills and abilities, but it also produces ethical young professionals who really value their work and show unwavering warmth, passion, and commitment towards work.

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The author is Teacher II (Senior High School) at Becuran High School