International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) |Volume VI, Issue IX, September 2022|ISSN 2454-6186

A Tracer Study of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Stem) Strand Graduates of Divine Word College of Legazpi Senior High School Department

Ricky U. Domanais Jr. and Nikko M. Quiapon
Department Senior High School, Divine Word College of Legazpi, Philippines

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to trace the Senior High School graduates under the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) strand of Divine Word College of Legazpi and identify which of the four exits they pursued. The researchers chose to trace the entire population of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics strand graduates of Divine Word College of Legazpi, from School Years 2017-2018, 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 as the respondents of the study. The total respondents were four hundred seventy-one (471). The retrieval rate of the response was 89.17%. This study made use of the descriptive design to gather the needed data. Descriptive research aimed to describe a population, situation, or phenomenon accurately and systematically. Using an electronic survey questionnaire, the researchers were able to identify the percentage of the students who have taken the four “exits” of the Senior High School Program, in this case, most of the STEM graduates continued in Higher Education. Additionally, the researchers were able to identify the college courses that they are currently taking. Most of the STEM graduates chose higher education as one of the four exits on Senior High School. In terms of their preferred academic institution, the STEM graduates are enrolled in Bicol University, Divine Word College of Legazpi, and University of Santo Tomas – Legazpi. Three hundred forty-three (82%) out of four hundred eighteen (418) of the STEM Graduates are taking up their degree courses aligned to the strand being Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (23.1%), Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering (11.4%), Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture (9.4%), Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering (8.2%) and Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology (5.8%) were the top five (5) choices. The remaining seventy-five (18%) of the STEM graduates enrolled on courses that were not aligned to STEM. The courses they are taking up are, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Major in Marketing Management (8.0%), Bachelor of Physical Education (8.0%), Bachelor of Science in Economics (6.7%), Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy (6.7%), and Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship (5.3%) and Bachelor of Arts in Journalism (5.3%). These were some of the reasons why they did not take the course related to STEM: their current course is interesting, it is their dream course, their courses serve as a pre-requisite subject to their dream course and influences from parents and peer.

Keywords: Tracer Study, STEM Graduates

I. INTRODUCTION

The 2011 State of the state Address (SONA) of former late President Aquino, as quoted
“… ngayon pa lang, nagtatagpo na ang kaisipan ng DOLE, CHED, TESDA at DepEd upang tugunan ang isyu ng job mismatch, susuriin ang mga curriculum para maituon sa mga industriyang naghahanap ng empleyado, at gagabayan ang mga estudyante sa pagpili ng mga kursong hitik sa bakanteng trabaho.”