Students’ Insights and Experiences of On-the-Job-Training in the Workplace

Abstract

This study looked into the students’ on-the-job training insights and experiences in the workplace. It attempted to identify the learning skills that the students gained in the workplace and determined how the workplace helped in developing the students’ learning skills.  The study also determined the most important learning skill needed to be developed by the OJTs as identified by the agencies and to design a program for the internship based  on the recommendations from the agencies. This qualitative research utilized data from the students’ narrative reports and journals every second semester from 2007-2009.  An interview was conducted with the head of the office to verify and confirm the students’ reports. There was a total of 43 OJT students in 2007, 136 OJTs in 2008 and 122 OJTs in 2009. These OJTs were assigned to 10 agencies in Malaybalay City and the 13 municipalities of the province of Bukidnon.The findings revealed that the students had gained learnings from their on-the-job training which are categorized into (1) affective skills, (2) cognitive skills, and (3) psychomotor skills.  This study showed that the workplace has helped develop the students’ skills through the programs and activities provided for them. Communication skills (Cognitive Skills) are found to be very important in the workplace. A crash course on ICT, Personality Development, Individual and Group Management and Community Organization were identified as activities/action plan for the improvement of the OJT program.Keywords:  On-the-job-training, insights and experiences, workplace, learning kills, internships