Life and Career Skills, Employment Readiness, and Work Immersion Performance of Students: Basis for Program Enhancement

The study aimed to determine the level of life and career skills, employment readiness, and work immersion performance of Grade 12 Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) students and to examine the relationships between these variables. One hundred twenty-one Grade 12 students participated in the study. A quantitative descriptive-correlational research design was employed. Standardized questionnaires were used to assess life and career skills and employment readiness, while official work immersion performance ratings were used to measure students' workplace performance. The results showed that students had high levels of life and career skills and employment readiness, while their work immersion performance was outstanding. However, neither life and career skills nor employment readiness demonstrated a statistically significant relationship with work immersion performance. These findings suggest that perceived employability-related competencies alone may not sufficiently explain students' actual performance during work immersion. The absence of significant relationships may be associated with the generally high ratings of life and career skills and employment readiness, which may have resulted in limited variability among respondents, as well as the possibility that workplace-specific factors, technical competencies, task alignment, and differences in evaluation practices across industry partners may have had a stronger influence on performance ratings. The findings highlight the importance of strengthening work immersion programs through closer alignment between students' specializations and workplace assignments, consistent performance assessment procedures, and continued development of both technical and employability competencies.

Life and Career Skills, Employment Readiness, Work Immersion Performance, Grade 12 Students, Work Immersion, Employability Skills.

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