Towards an Effective Training: Deciphering the Management of

OJT Concerns
Maridee Bitalac - Adiong
Abstract
This research is conducted to determine the concerns regarding On the Job Training (OJT)
management of Capitol University. The respondents of this study are the students who have
undergone or are undergoing OJT from school year 2008 - 2012, the Deans/OJT Coordinators of
the selected colleges and the company/industry representatives. From the data gathered, the OJT
guidelines, practices and requirements are in conformance with the mandates of the Commission
on Higher Education (CHED). There are practices that are over and above the requirements set by
CHED which include number of OJT hours and unit equivalent of OJT. Structured and non
structured training are used as approached by the companies/industries to deliver the specific
trainings to the students.
The common concerns encountered by the students include problems in public relation/customer
attitude, guidelines were not explained thoroughly by the college OJT coordinator, mismatch of
skills to the tasks assigned and delay in completion of duty hours because of difficulty in finding
host companies. The Deans/OJT coordinators concerns include difficulty in establishing formal
linkages with companies/industries, no proper guidelines from CHED in the implementation of
the OJT program, no manual of procedures being followed in the university and laxity of students
in applying for OJT.
The recommendations of this study were the university should consider creating an office that
will manage the OJT program of the university, continuous training on the enhancement of skills
and seminars for personality development and interpersonal skills, the colleges should benchmark
the practices of OJT from other universities to know what needs to be enhanced and revised in the
practice of the training, continuous monitoring of OJT program, standardization of the OJT fee,
online evaluation of the student trainees is to be made available and a university manual of
procedure for the OJT should be drafted for implementation.
Keywords: On the Job Training; OJT; Host Companies; Student Trainees; OJT Coordinators

Introduction
Confucius once said: "If all I do is hear, I will forget. If I hear and see, I will remember. If I hear,
see and do, I will understand." Training in the sense of Confucius words needs to be heard, seen and
done. Training forms the core of apprenticeships and provides the backbone of content of any worker.
______________________________
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Maridee Bitalac Adiong is a Professor and currently the Chair of the Electronics Engineering
Department of Capitol University. For correspondence, email her at maria_saudee@live.com

On the Job Training or OJT as what most people from academic institutions call it, plays a
vital role in developing the different domains of an effective worker. There are many advantages
incorporated with OJT but problems may arise if not properly structured, executed and managed. OJT is
one method by which students are given achance to apply the theories and computations that they have
learned from theschool. It also helps the students to acquire relevant knowledge and skills byperforming
in actual work setting.
Capitol Universitys mission focuses on developing the youth into Total Persons. It is quite an
eclectic statement to devour into. Students should not only be equipped with intellectual knowledge but
with skills molding them into competent individuals. For academic institutions like Capitol University,
OJT is a preparatory stage for students with different field of expertise. A student majoring in a specific
field may it be technical, business natured, educational, or in medicine will have to undergo the stage of
having an OJT. It serves as an assessment towards the actual capabilities of a student and leading towards
the evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses. Colleges and universities require their studentsto
undergo such training within a specific number of hours as part of thecurriculum as mandated by the
Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on the programs specific Policies, Standards and Guidelines.
Capitol University adheres to CHEDs requirement regarding OJT. During the final year of the
students of the College of Business Administration and College of Computer Studies, students are
required to comply specific number of hours of training. The College of Engineering requires their
students to have an OJT during the summer period before their final year in most cases.
OJT has been offered in different styles by different academic institutions. The trend nowadays is
tying up with foreign companies and sending their students to experience OJT abroad. However, not all
of the programs were successful. It has been a prey for different placement agencies that have been
sprouting like mushrooms to grab opportunities from the students in terms of monetary services.
(http://opinion.inquirer.net/35798/ojt-as-disguised-exploitation)
For local training grounds, there are not enough companies catering to the huge number of
trainees yearly. It has been a perennial problem of academic institutions in coming up with company tie
ups. Companies are reluctant in accepting trainees because of the responsibilities bestowed on them as
part of the tri partite agreement. The OJT scenario has challenged the researcher and is the primary
reason why the researcher has embarked on this study. This problem on OJT mirrors the delivery of the
training to the students.

Theoretical Framework
This study is anchored on Kirkpatricks Learning and Training Evaluation Theory. Donald L
Kirkpatrick first published his ideas way back in 1959, in a series of articles in the US Training and
Development Journal. The articles were later included in Kirkpatrick's book Evaluating Training
Programs (1975), published by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). Donald
Kirkpatrick has written several other significant books about training and evaluation.
There are four levels of Kirkpatricks evaluation model (Figure 1). It essentially measures (1) the
reaction of student, (2) learning, (3) transfer, and (4) results. Each successive level of evaluation builds
upon the evaluations of the previous level. Each successive level of evaluation adds precision to the
measure of effectiveness but requires more time consuming analysis.

Figure 1: Four Levels of Evaluation

The reaction evaluation is how the trainees felt about the training or learning experience. This
type of evaluation is inexpensive and easy to administer using interaction with the participants, paper
forms and online forms.
The second level of the model is learning evaluation. It measures what the students have learned
from the training. Learning evaluation is the measurement of the increase in knowledge in before and
after setting. Evaluations at transfer level attempt to answer the question of whether the training has been
transferred back to the job. The evaluator would ask questions such as "Are the newly acquired
knowledge, skills or attitude being used in the environment of the learner"? This evaluation represents the
truest assessment of a program's effectiveness. It is often impossible to foresee when transformation in
behavior will transpire. Careful planning decisions are needed for this level of evaluation in terms of time
to evaluate, how to evaluate and how often to evaluate.
Result evaluation measures the success of the training program in terms that executives and
managers can understand such as increased production, increased sales, decreased costs, improved
quality, positive changes in management style or in general behavior and favorable feedback from
customers, peers and subordinates. Result evaluation can be related to the academe scenario in terms of
post training performance of the students in schools.

Conceptual Framework
The general direction of the study is to determine the problems arising to the implementation of
the OJT program and to counteract the effects of these problems by formulating policies and guidelines.
Figure 2 shows the schematic diagram of the conceptual framework.
There are three major aspects to be considered as inputs to the study. These are the students,
academe and industries where our students immerse for training. The students knowledge, skills and
attitude are factors that affect their performance as trainees. Capitol Universitys role in formulating the
policies, procedures and guidelines affects also the effectiveness of the OJT program. Another input to be
considered is the industries/companies that accept the students as trainees. Industries/Companies are
sources of agreements such as MOAs and MOUs which are necessary in establishing linkages for the OJT
program.The processes that were made in the study conducted include the review of existing policies and
procedures form the academe and industries, trainors ability to assess trainees personal qualities and cost
3

effectiveness.The expected output of this study is the enhancement of the OJT program through an
effective training.

Figure 2: Schematic Diagram of Conceptual Framework

Objectives
This study aims to determine and assess the concerns of the implementation of OJT program of
Capitol University. Specifically, it aims to determine the practices in the implementation of the On the
Job Training (OJT) program by the selected colleges of Capitol University, to assess if the stated practices
are in accordance with the CHED curricular requirement on OJT program, identify the concerns
encountered by the student respondents during OJT, to evaluate the performance of the trainees in terms
of technical, communication and interpersonal skills based on the host company perspective, to
distinguish the common concerns and the possible actions that can be done by the selected colleges and
the industry in the implementation of the OJT program and to formulate an OJT Manual to standardize
guidelines and practices towards the effectiveness of the OJT program.

Methods
The Design
This study used the descriptive method of research. According to Calderon and Gonzales (1993),
descriptive design is a purposive process of gathering, analyzing and tabulating data about prevailing
conditions, practices, beliefs, processes, trends and cause and effect relationship and then making
adequate and accurate interpretation about such data with the aid of some simple percentile and statistical
method.
The approach used is both quantitative and qualitative. To understand better the nature of the
study, both primary and secondary data were used. Specifically, this study utilized several methods in
collecting data. The primary data source l include in - depth interview for the Deans and OJT
coordinators. For the company/industry representative respondents, data was taken from evaluation
forms filled out by the company representatives. A focus group discussion (FGD) was facilitated to
students undergoing or has undergone OJT from the selected colleges. Kamberelis and Dimitriadis (2005)
defined focus groups as unique and important formations of collective inquiry where theory, research,
pedagogy, and politics converge.The secondary data included OJT report and evaluation sheet of students
who have undergone OJT in the last five years.

The Respondents
The respondents of this study were the Deans, OJT coordinators and students undergoing or has
undergone OJT. These respondents came from the selected colleges of Capitol University. The
respondents also included Company Representatives who have direct concerns with the OJT program and
trainees. These companies were chosen from the records of the OJT coordinator wherein selected
students have taken their training in the last five years.
There are 41.26%, 29.74% and 26.02% student respondents from the Colleges of Computer
Studies, Engineering and Business Administration respectively. The three (3) Deans from the said
colleges were also taken as respondents. There is one (1) OJT coordinator for the Colleges of Business
Administration and Computer Studies while the College of Engineering has three (3) OJT
coordinators.The FGD include five (5) students per selected college who have undergone OJT previously
from 2008 2012 and is having their OJT this 2nd semester of SY 2012 2013.

The Research Instrument

This study made use of in depth interview for selected Deans, OJT coordinators and if
necessary company representatives and an FGD for the selected students. Both methods utilized an
interview guide formulated by the researcher. A checklist of guide questions was chosen to embody the
objectives of this study. (Appendices A and B)
The interview guide for the in depth interview of Deans/OJT Coordinators include how they
perceive the implementation of OJT, the usual concerns in the practice of OJT and standards and
guidelines followed by the college based on CMOs and/or OJT Manual. For the FGD of the students,
questions were formulated to distinguish their concerns before and after the OJT. It also includes their
recommendations to enhance the practice of OJT.

The Data Gathering Process

Before conducting the interview, a letter was sent to the respective Deans and OJT coordinators
of the selected colleges for an interview. For the secondary data, a letter of request was sent to the
respective Deans and OJT coordinator to retrieve copies of the evaluation sheet and OJT report if
available. These evaluation sheets contain the ratings on the performance of the trainees based on the
perception of the direct supervisors or human resource personnel.
Three separate schedules for FGD have been conducted for the selected colleges with 5 student
respondents. For the industry respondents, the in-depth interview was conducted in the specific schedules
set by the company respondents.

Analysis of Data
The performance ratings of the trainees were tabulated per college and the mean was taken.
Hypothetical mean scale was used for describing the results of the College of Engineering while a 10
point scale is used by the College of Computer Studies. The College of Engineering used a 5 point scale
rating in assessing the students. The College of Business Administration used a 4 factor qualitative
evaluation form while the College of Computer Studies used 9 factor qualitative assessment and a 10
point scale over all rating assessment. The qualitative components were presented in a tabular form. It
was analyzed using frequency and percentage distribution.
Table 1 shows the 4 point scale used by the College of Business Administration. The highest
rating the evaluator can give is 4 while 1 being the lowest score.
Table 1
Hypothetical Mean Scale used by the College of Business Administration
Mean Rating ()

Interpretation

3.26 4.0

Very Good

2.51 3.25

Good

1.76 2.5

Sufficient

1.0 1.75

Bad

Table 2 shows the 10 point scale used by the College of Computer Studies. The highest rating
the evaluator can give is 10 while 1 being the lowest score.

Table 2
10 - Point Scale used by the College of Computer Studies
Rating

Interpretation

10

Outstanding

79

Above Average

56

Average

34

Below Average

12

Poor

Table 3 shows the hypothetical mean scale used by the College of Engineering. A 5 point scale
is used to assess the performance of the student trainees. The highest score that can be given is 5 and the
lowest is 1.
Table 3
Hypothetical Mean Scale used by College of Engineering
Mean Rating ()

Interpretation

4.21 5.0

Excellent

3.41 4.2

Very Satisfactory

2.61 3.4

Satisfactory

1.81 2.6

Fair

1.0 1.8

Poor

Statistical Treatment
For the qualitative component, the analysis will be done by frequency and percentage distribution
utilizing the formula:

=
where:

f
x 100
N

% = percent

= frequency

= number of cases
7

For the quantitative data, the mean is the most frequent used in measure of central tendency. The
tabulated data will be treated with the use of weighted mean and it is computed below:

w =
w

where:

fx
N

fx
N

= weighted mean
= sum of all the products

= sum of all the respondents

Results and Discussion

Practices in the implementation of the OJT program by the selected colleges of
Capitol University
Based on the interview conducted by the researcher from the Deans and/or OJT coordinators of
the selected colleges, the following were the practices in the implementation of the OJT program.
Both structured and unstructured types of OJT are followed depending on the company/industry they get
into. Based on the OJT report the trainees comply at the end of the training, they claimed that they were
having routine duties on the different department of the company/industry. There were programs intended
for them so that they would experience the different tasks involved in the operation of the
company/industry.
College of Business Administration
The OJT is enrolled by the students during their final semester with the program and has to finish
200 hours. The students should only carry 21 units including OJT for his last load. The OJT Coordinator
of the college was appointed by the College Dean and has been in the position for only two years. He is
responsible for finding different companies that cater the training to the students. He added that there
were no problems especially in the field of finance since he is a retiree from a government bank. The
Marketing trainees are being accepted with different companies where the university has a standing MOA
like Sheridan marketing. The only problem he encounters is the placement of the Human Resource
Development Management (HRDM) trainees. There are a few companies in the city that have a human
resource department. Most of the HR trainees are accepted in agencies servicing various big companies
like the food and beverage manufacturing and department stores.
The OJT Coordinator then with the identified companies who accept the student trainees then ask
the Job Placement Office to make the letter of recommendation of the students to the respective
companies. The students then have to comply with the requirements of the college before enrollment is
allowed. They need to pass the following documents; (1) OJT Personal Sheet, (2) Trade Agreement, (3)
Schedule of Training, (4) Letter of Recommendation and (5) Application letter.

The students pay an additional five hundred pesos (Php500) in their tuition fees to cover the
expenses of the coordinator during company visits to evaluate the performance of the students. The said
fee according to the Dean was stipulated in the OJT manual of the college which is due for finalization
and has been deliberated in the hearing for tuition fee increase last 2011.
In the previous years according to the OJT coordinator, the students were the ones looking and
applying for companies. The OJT coordinator seldom the student trainees since no transportation
allowance was provided by the school.
College of Computer Studies
In the case of the Computer Studies, there were three curricula that required OJT on the final
semester of the student. The 2008 curriculum requires a 600 hour OJT period equivalent to nine (9)
units. For the 2011 curriculum, the OJT requirement still follows the 600 hour duration however it is
only equivalent to three (3) units. The 2012 curriculum requires a 600 hour OJT requirement but the
unit requirement was changed to nine (9) units.
The 2008 curriculum has only OJT offered in the final year. According to the Dean, they allow
students to have their training even if they have other subjects to enroll. The students were allowed a
maximum of nine (9) units provided that the schedule of these subjects is 5:30pm onwards. The Dean
added that the usual training hours of the students is from 8:00am to 5:00pm. In this way, the subject
schedule will not be of conflict with their duty hours.
Furthermore, the Dean iterated that students were allowed to enroll OJT if they have finished taking up
major subjects like Management Information Systems, Software Engineering, System Analysis and
Design and Data Base Management. These subjects were only predetermined by the Dean together with
the faculty based on the needs of the companies that accepted the students as trainees.
The Dean of the college also conveyed that the students were directed to take qualifying examinations to
companies looking for OJT channeled through the Universitys Admissions Office. Also, students may
take examinations to companies with standing MOU and MOA with the college/university. Others who
did not meet the requirements of the said companies were directed to apply with other companies with the
aid of the OJT coordinator.
The Dean/OJT coordinator usually rejects internet cafes as venue for OJT. The reason for the
rejection is that the competencies/skills offered by the internet cafes were very minimal.
The OJT is offered regularly in the 2 nd semester of the 4th year level. The According to the Dean of the
college, the faculty designated as OJT coordinator may vary every year. Mostly, the OJT coordinator is
the faculty usually carrying the minimum subject load.
The Dean added that there was no additional OJT fee that was required for the students to pay. If OJT
coordinators wished to follow up the performance of the students in certain companies, they have to
spend their personal money for the transportation expenses. There was no move from the college to
request transportation allowance from the administration.
College of Engineering
The College of Engineering has revised the time duration of the OJT. The previous curricula
(2002 and 2004) follow the 240 hours requirement while the 2008 and 20012 curricula follow the 360
hours requirement during the summer period prior to 5 th year level. During the Engineering Stakeholders
Consultation Meeting last 2010, most of the company representatives complained that 240 hours is too
short to learn and master certain competencies. The College Dean with the Chairpersons who serve as
OJT Coordinators in their respective departments then deliberated the possibility of increasing the number
of duty hours. With this, the number of duty hours was increased to 360 for the 2008 and 2012 curricula
of the college.
9

Students were recommended by the OJT coordinator per program to industries wherein the
college has established linkages. Other students were directed to apply as OJT to other industries. The
Dean and OJT coordinators then evaluate the industries they have applied before the Dean is going to
issue a Letter of Recommendation. The college has also the right to reject companies chosen by the
students if the competencies/skills provided by the industries were very limited if not irrelevant. For
example, cellphone repair shops and vulcanizing shops were rejected as venue for OJT.
The OJT coordinators only do the follow ups through phone calls and/or text messaging most of
the time since there is no transportation allowance given to the OJT Coordinators. Visit on work sites is
limited only within the city proper. According to the Dean, the college has not made any request for
stipend to the administration whenever they wished to visit on- site to evaluate the trainees.
The Dean further added that the students enrolled only in OJT subject in the summer asked to
waive certain fees that includes (1) internet fee, (2) library fee and (3) energy fee since they were not in
school for the duration of summer. The request for waiving the said fees is channeled for approval to the
Executive Vice President (EVP) and positive response is given by the EVP to the students request. The
Dean added that this is the major reason why an additional OJT fee was not collected to the students. It is
one way of the college to help the students in their financial burden.
The OJT coordinators of the three programs, Civil Engineering, Electronics Engineering and
Mechanical Engineering, have the discretion to allow irregular 4 th year students to have their OJT in the
summer. There were no standard subject requirements stipulated with the different CMOs for the said
program. For the Civil Engineering, the irregular 4 th year students may take OJT provided that they have
taken design subjects. The Electronics Engineering OJT coordinator allows the irregular 4 th year student
to enroll OJT if they have taken Analog and Digital Communications and CISCO 1 and 2. For the
Mechanical Engineering, the OJT coordinator allows the irregular 4 th year students to take OJT if they
have taken Mechanical Engineering Laboratory, Instrumentation and Control and Machine Shop Theory
subjects.
There were no stipulated articles in the different CMOs followed by the college on the
requirement of the student standing if they are allowed or not to take OJT. CHED has no provisions on the
OJT requirements with regards to subjects taken prior to the enrollment of the OJT.
In Chapter 2, according to Wang (2009), the trainees concern in the host company is that there has been
no manual of procedure for the training that has been given to them. Further, he added that this concern
can be addressed by informing the trainees how the training is to proceed by simply handing them the
manual of procedures.
Over all, the practices of the selected colleges in the implementation of the OJT program were in
accordance with the minimum requirements set by CHED based on the respective Policies and Standards
of the different programs. The only specified requirement stated on the different CMOs is the minimum
unit equivalent of the OJT.It implies that the guidelines implemented by the selected colleges differ in
some cases with each other since there is no OJT manual of procedures being followed by the selected
colleges. It also implies that only the OJT coordinator with honorarium is visiting their student trainees in
the host companies/industries while those OJT Coordinators with no honorarium from the university is
evaluating their student trainees upon submission of the requirements of completion. Moreover, the
evidences in the practice of the implementation of the OJT program of the university must be
standardized and be aligned with the Outcomes Based Education (OBE) system mandated by CHED.
With this OBE, there will be competencies that need to be learned by the student trainees on the duration
of the training.
10

Practices in Accordance with CHED Requirements

College of Business Administration
The BSBA followed the mandates stipulated by CHED Memorandum Circulars (CMO) No. 39
series 2006 known as Policies, Standards and Guidelines for Bachelor of Science in Business
Administration (BSBA) and No. 27 series of 2008 known as Supplemental Guidelines to CHED
Memorandum Order No. 39 series 2006 entitled Policies, Standards and Guidelines for Bachelor of
Science in Business Administration , it requires a practicum/work related learning equivalent to 6 units.
The CMO No. 39 series 2006 only specified the number of units and not the number of hours.
CMO No. 39 series 2006 explained that practicum/work related learning course supports students
embarking on their first applied practicum course in preparation for professional work as business
practitioners. The primary instructional strategies used are self-directed learning, self-assessment, peer
teaching and reflective practice. These concepts are woven together using sound instructional design
methodology. The course is framed around carefully considered course goals and specific, achievable
learning outcomes that focus on the higher level learning competencies.
The 200 hour requirement is finished by the duration of the 2 nd semester within the final term
for them to comply with the requirements for graduation. The student is allowed to carry eighteen (18)
units to a maximum of twenty one (21) units. Aside from the OJT which is six (6) units, the students
still have twelve to fifteen (12 15) units of subject load enrolled. The training hour has been approved
by the partner companies and they were aware of the class schedules of the trainees. The rules and
regulations were presented to the trainees before they were deployed to their respective companies.
The duty hours that they have rendered which are not stated in their enrollment form is not counted. Any
changes in the OJT duty hours need the approvals of the Dean and OJT coordinators.
The OJT coordinator conducted one unannounced visit per term for the entire semester as part of
the evaluation of the student trainees. The OJT coordinator conducts an interview with the students and
direct supervisors if they are available in a separate session.

College of Computer Studies

The BSCS followed the provisions stipulated in CMO No. 53 series of 2006 entitled Policies and
Standards for Information Technology Education (ITE) Programs. Section 11 of CMO 53 series 2006
stated that Internship/OJT/Practicum is an immersion program wherein the students will have a chance
and opportunity to be with the Information Technology (IT). This program is important because students
will have the chance to apply the skills, knowledge and attitude learned in the school and at the same time
the opportunity to experience the corporate environment. Learning expectations in the IT related field
should be established between the Higher Education Institution (HEI) and the industry in the form of
MOU or MOA.
Based also in the same CMO, when a student finished about 80% of his total load, he is allowed
to take OJT. For the BSCS program, the CMO also stipulated that it is optional for the program to include
OJT in the curriculum. The minimum numbers of hours required by CHED is only 162. The 2008
curriculum mandated a requirement of 600 hours. The previous requirement for the 2006 curriculum was
only 200 hours and is taken during summer.During the visits of the OJT coordinator to the companies in
11

2007, it was suggested to increase the OJT duration. Upon deliberation of the Dean and the faculty of
instruction, they have agreed to 600 hours and OJT is taken on the final semester of the student. The Dean
also has the discretion of allowing students to enroll OJT if most of the major CS subjects have already
been taken by the students and provided that the student is expected to finish his program by the
following 1st semester.

College of Engineering
The College of Engineering is comprised of three (3) programs namely Civil Engineering,
Electronics Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. The three (3) chairpersons act as the OJT
coordinator for the specific programs. The college follows the following Policies and Standards issued by
CHED; (1) CMO 25 series 2005 entitled Revise Policies, Standards and Guidelines for Engineering
Education, (2) CMO No. 29 series of 2007 entitled Policies and Standards (PS) for the Degree of
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, (3) CMO No. 09 series of 2008 entitled Policies and Standards
(PS) for the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and (4) CMO No. 24 series 2008
entitled Policies and Standards (PS) for the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering.
In CMO 25 series 2005 section 6.6.4.3, it is stipulated in the industry academe linkage that the
college shall establish and maintain satisfactory relationship with the industry for the on-the-job training
of their student. The college has established linkages with different industries for OJT purposes. The
linkages were categorized into two: (1) formal which has MOU/MOA and (2) informal wherein the
linkage was established since there were a number of trainees from the past who have been accepted.
Based on CMO 29 series 2007 section 12 on the OJT requirement for Civil Engineering, OJT is optional
depending on the discretion of the HEIs. It also specified that the OJT for the Civil Engineering should be
done the following companies; (1) Design Firms, (2) Construction Work Site and, (3) Testing
Laboratories such as public works, National Irrigation Authority and Department of Transportation and
Communication.
Section 12 of CMO 24 series 2008 specified the OJT requirement for the Electronics Engineering
program. The HEIs still has the discretion to include OJT in the curriculum. OJT should be done in the
following areas; (1) Broadcasting, (2) Telecommunication, (3) Semiconductor, (4) Computer Systems, (5)
Instrumentation and Telemetry, (6) Automation, Feedback, Process Control, Robotics, and Mechatronics,
(7) Industrial/ Manufacturing, (8) Medical/Biomedical Electronics and, (9) Government Agencies such as
DOTC, DOST, etc. or any industry that requires services related to the specializations of an Electronics
Engineer.
OJT requirement for Mechanical Engineering Program is mandated in Section 12 CMO 09 series
2008. It is stated that OJT for the Mechanical Engineering is comprised of 120 hours and is required to be
preferably taken during the summer period prior to his terminal year. The student should take OJT as a
requirement before he graduates. The student may have his OJT on the following industries; (1) Power
Plants, (2) Industrial Plants, (3) Manufacturing Companies, (4) Service Companies/Industrial Sales, (5)
Machine Shops/Foundries, (6) Engineering Contracting Companies and, (7) Mechanical
Engineering/Management Consultancy Firms.
Based on CMO 29 series of 2007, CMO 9 series of 2008 and CMO 24 series of 2008, OJT is
optional depending on the discretion of the Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs). Moreover, the said
CMOs only specify the different companies/industries where the students may have their OJT.
In addition to the CMOs of the three engineering programs, the unit requirement for OJT is two (2) but
doesnt specify the number of hours the students have to comply.

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Table 4 shows the summary of practices in accordance with CHED and practices over and above
the CHED curricular requirement on OJT.
Table 4
Summary of Practices in Accordance and Over and Above with CHED Circular Requirement in
OJT
Practices in Accordance with CHED
Curricular Requirement on OJT

Practices Over and Above the CHED

Curricular Requirement on OJT

Business Administration
Unit equivalent of OJT is 6.

Assessment of student trainees is done thrice in

the duration of the training.

Computer Studies
Percentage of required subjects taken before
enrolling OJT is 80%.

Unit equivalent of OJT is 9.

Number of hours for OJT is 600.

Engineering
Unit equivalent of OJT is 2.
Nature of host companies

Number of hours for OJT is 360.

From table 4, the practices in accordance with CHED requirement on OJT being followed by the
College of Business Administration and Engineering is the unit equivalent of OJT. Also, the College of
Computer Studies follows the requirement on the percentage of subjects taken before the student is
allowed to enroll OJT. The College of Engineering also follows the requirement of CHED on the nature
of host companies where students were allowed to have their OJT.From the same table, the practices over
and above the CHED requirement on OJT by the College of Business Administration is that the
assessment of student trainees is being done by the OJT coordinator once per term. The college of
Computer Studies has a unit equivalent of 9 units for OJT and the number of hours the students should
comply is 600 hours. The College of Engineering implemented the 360 hour requirement for the three
programs. These practices were not stipulated as part of the requirements on OJT.

Concerns encountered by the students and Dean/coordinators during OJT?

The data that were taken from OJT reports of the students from 2008 2012, focused group
discussion (FGD) and in depth interviews with the Dean/OJT coordinators. There were 15 participants,
5 from each college, for the FGD. The FGD was conducted in three (3) different sessions.
College of Business Administration
The student trainees of the College of Business Administration conveyed several concerns
regarding OJT. These students are currently enrolled this 2 nd semester SY 2012 2013 in their OJT
subject.

13

Student 1 claimed that some co trainees were not doing their work properly during duty time.
The same student explained that the other trainees engaged in chit chats and didnt focus on the task
given. Some of them erroneously encode student records in the computer.
Student 2, on the other hand, conveyed that the supervisors, workmates and customers were
giving her a cold treatment. The same student added that the people around the workplace were so aloof
with her. The student also said that the company should give them allowance as part of motivation to do
good with the tasks assigned to them.
Student 3 had a hard time adjusting to the different personalities of the customers. There were
instances that the customers were a little bit demanding in finishing their transactions and not even taking
in consideration that she was just a trainee. The same student added that an allowance of fifty pesos daily
was given by the company to compensate her transportation expenses. The student was very happy since
it helped a lot since she has to go back to school for her afternoon class. She also added that the
employees of the company were not time conscious because the company should open at 8:00am and she
was there earlier only to find out that the office still close. The employees usually came in late for work.
Student 4 has quite a number of concerns with the OJT. First is that students should be assigned
to companies that is in line with their field of specialization. The same student added that there was a
mismatch between the nature of company and her specialization. She also added that some of the OJT
policies were not clearly elaborated during the orientation specifically on the carry load of students who
should be allowed to enroll OJT. It has come to the students attention that there were some students who
were allowed to take OJT even if they carried more than 21 units in order to graduate this coming March.
The college also did not provide any copy of guidelines regarding the OJT.
Student 5 claimed that the only concern about OJT is that there was a hard time adjusting to the
different personalities of the employees and customers. The same student shard that there was a very bad
experience that she had with a customer who is very arrogant in dealing with her. She had a hard time
getting over what happened since the academe world is a lot different with the corporate world.
College of Computer Studies
The College of Computer Studies student trainees have concerns regarding the implementation of
the OJT program ranging from availability of company for OJT to complying with the number of hours
required.
Student 1 claimed that some fellow OJT coming from different universities were not doing their
work properly. The same student added that there was hesitation on his part to tell the supervisor since it
may create conflict between other student trainees. The student also added that some trainees from other
schools report to work late for their duty but tampers with their time records.
Student 2 conveyed to the group that there was conflict with duty hours and scheduled school
activities like meetings and seminars where trainees were also required to attend. The same student also
said that there was difficulty in finding companies to train since not only Capitol University was OJT. The
competition was stiff and the student ended up starting late with the training.
Student 3 claimed the same situation as student 2. There was a stiff competition in getting into the
company. The student wasnt able to find a suitable company for training and settled to have the training
in the academe. He also added that some of the tasks were not related to the field but needs to comply
with it since it is required by the head of the office.
14

Student 4 claimed that there was no assistance given from the faculty or OJT coordinator. There
were no recommendations coming from the OJT coordinator of possible companies to apply for training.
He also added that there was no conducted visit by the coordinator during the duration of the training.
Student 5 expressed that the only concern about OJT was that there was no program for the
trainee to follow in order to acquire specific skills in the different aspects of the field of Computer
Science.
Over all, the concerns of the respondents from the College of Computer Studies were revolving
on issues of companies to have training, transfer of specific skills was not met and attitude issues of
fellow student trainees.
The Dean of the college has several concerns regarding the implementation of the OJT. One
concern is that the IT companies in the vicinity of Cagayan de Oro were very limited and these companies
have to cater to trainees as far as Bukidnon and Iligan. Some trainees of the college need to extend their
training duration to comply the 600 hour requirement. These companies except for call centers only
have operation hours from 8:00am to 6:00pm. The usual practice of some IT companies in order to cater
to more trainees was that the students were only allowed 4 hours of duty daily. If trainees from other
schools comply their required duty hours, then it is only the time that they can have an 8 hour duty.
Another concern of the Dean on the matters of OJT is that the Philippine Society for Information
Technology Educators of Region X through the College of Computer Studies conducted an open forum in
2008 between IT companies and schools offering IT education. They have drafted a guideline and
agreement on the implementation of OJT between the schools and IT companies. There were previous
problems that were presented by the students who were having their training at a certain IT company.
They carried out tasks like making coffee for employees, photocopying of certain documents and ran
personal errands for employees. They agreed on certain grounds on the specific tasks to be performed by
the trainees. However, the Dean added that the drafted agreement just died a natural death since there has
been no response from both the academe and IT companies.
The Dean also added that there is no manual being followed by the college in the implementation
of OJT. Furthermore, the Dean also conducts exit interviews with the trainees after complying with the
OJT however these interviews were undocumented.
College of Engineering
During the FGD session with the students who have undergone OJT during the summer period,
there were a number of concerns pertaining to the implementation of the OJT.
Student 1 claimed that it was during the OJT wherein the pressure of getting tasks done was
experienced. The student iterated that in school, it has been a practice in some of the subjects to give
extensions when the weight of the assignments was quite heavy. The student also claimed that the skills
learned during the training were only minimal since there was no routine planned out by the companys
OJT coordinator.
Student 2 claimed that they were allowed to be in the field works and observed only because the
equipment was very expensive. The same student said that the OJT was an extended classroom because
there were more discussions on how the operation of the company is carried out.
Student 3 encountered a number of problems from the application stage to the completion stage.
The student conveyed that he submitted his application to the company very late and that was also the
15

reason why he finished the required number of hours just a week before the opening of the 1 st semester
classes.
Student 4 expressed that the only problem encountered in the training was that few tasks were
given by the heads of the department because of lack of trust and the equipment used in the operation
were very expensive. The same student added that sometimes there were tasks given that were not in line
with their field such as filing of records in the administration department but giving justice to the
company, he also added that the admin was shorthanded and needed to finish the tasks for auditing.
Student 5 said that their supervisor hesitated to give them complicated works in cabling. Most of
their training times were allotted to lectures and observation.
The concerns posted by the respondents from the College of Engineering were concentrated on
task related. It also has to be remembered by the students that equipment used in the field of
engineering are very expensive and needs expertise to operate them. Lectures and observations were part
of the methodology of carrying out the training to broaden the horizon of knowledge of the students in
their chosen field of specialization.
During the in depth interview of the researcher to the OJT coordinators of the college, there
were several issues discussed. The main concern of the OJT coordinators was on how to establish MOU
or MOA with industries that have been accepting the engineering students for training. There were
invitations to these companies to have either MOU or an MOA but only a few positively responded. The
OJT Coordinators also have problems on the laxity of the students when applying to industries for
training. When they usually inquire for OJT availability, the human resource personnel will inform that
application period is over and they have already identified students from other schools to be accepted as
trainees.
The Dean of the college said that his concern was mainly on the guidelines of the implementation
of OJT. He made an example on the guidelines when to allow students enroll OJT. As for the practice of
the college, the chairpersons of the different programs who also act as OJT coordinators has the discretion
to decide on the matters of allowing the students to have OJT. The Dean also added there must be proper
guidelines coming from CHED regarding this matter so that the technicalities will be conveyed to the
students before the OJT enrollment to avoid any discrepancies.
The Dean also added that the college has not followed or used any manual for the OJT program.
Only the guidelines stipulated in the College of Engineering Manual of Information is followed in the
implementation of the OJT program. The concerns of the OJT in the Dean and OJT coordinators
perspective deals mainly with student attitude, industries response to formal linkages and OJT guidelines.
The issue on the difficulty to establish linkages with industries implies that industries are not that
open to formal agreement with the academe. The formal agreement binds the academe and industries to
carry out the provisions of the agreement. Engaging in formal linkages needs thorough review of each
provision so that the parties involve will have a win win situation. The same issue implies that since
there are a few existing formal linkages with the industries, only a few students of the college are
accepted for training.

Evaluation of Host Companies to Student Trainees Performance

16

The data were taken from the evaluation made by the company/industry representative on how
they perceived the performance of the students. The evaluation forms used were issued by the selected
colleges.
College of Business Administration
There were 70 respondents from the College of Business Administration who enrolled OJT from
2008 2012.
Table 5 shows the over-all student trainees evaluation assessed by the different company
representatives.
Table 5
Over All Student Trainees Evaluation of the
College of Business Administration
Factor

Interpretation

Personal Attitude

3.86

Very Good

Working Attitude

3.69

Very Good

Quality of Work

3.66

Very Good

Quantity of Work

3.63

Very Good

Legend: 1.0 1.75 Bad

1.76 2.50 Satisfactory

2.51 3.25 Good

3.26 4.0 Very Good

As shown in table 5, the student trainees from the College of Business Administration had a mean
of 3.86 (very good) in the personal attitude factor, 3.69 (very good) in the working attitude factor, 3.66
(very good) quality of work factor and 3.63 (very good) in the quantity of work factor.
College of Computer Studies
There were 111 respondents from the College of Computer Studies who enrolled OJT from 2008
2012.The college uses a different evaluation scale. The company evaluator rated the students from 1
10 wherein 10 is the highest and 1 is the lowest. Aside from the over all evaluation rating, the company
representative have to evaluate the trainee using the 9 factor qualitative criteria.
Table 10 shows the results of the evaluation made by company representatives on the
performance of the students in their OJT.

17

Table 10
Over All Student Trainees Evaluation of the
College of Computer Studies
Rating

Interpretation

10

7.21

Outstanding

79

85

76.58

Above Average

56

17

15.31

Average

34

0.90

Below Average

12

0.00

Poor

TOTAL

111

100

Legend: 1 2 Poor

3 4 Below Average

5 6 Average

7 9 Above Average

10 Outstanding

From table 10, there were 7.21% of the respondents who got outstanding, 76.58% have above
average rating, 15.31% have average rating, 0.90% got below average rating.
To support the ratings given, there are several strong points made by the company representatives.
They have assessed the trainees are good followers to instructions given to them by their immediate
supervisors. The trainees were fast learners, willing to take responsibilities, worked with initiative,
resourceful, hard working, respectful, projects professionalism and cooperative.
However, there are also several weak points in the remarks made by company representatives.
They have commented that some trainees needs assistance to complete the given task, often late and often
absent. From the interview conducted with the Dean of the college, one main reason for tardiness of the
students is that the schedule of their training and classes on the same day is too close giving them a little
time to travel to the vicinity of their trainings. The trainees need to work on with self confidence in
order to interact with other employees. The trainees were reluctant to mingle with the people around
them.

Possible Solutions to Student Trainees Concern

The different concerns of the Dean/OJT coordinator, students and industries gathered from OJT
reports, evaluation forms, in depth interviews and focus group discussion were summarized and
presented in a table with the possible solutions.
Table 6 shows the Problem/Solution table for the common concerns of the Dean/OJT
Coordinators of the selected colleges.
18

Table 6
Summary of Deans/OJT Coordinators Common Problem/Solution
Problems

Possible Solution

1.

Difficulty in establishing Memoranda of

Agreement or Memoranda of Understanding
between
Academe
and
Partner
Companies/Industries

2.

No proper guidelines on when to allow

irregular students to take OJT.

3.

No manual of procedures is followed in the

implementation of the OJT (for Computer
Studies and Engineering only and finalization
stage for the Business Administration)

4.

Laxity of Students in applying for OJT

The Dean should formulate a strategic plan on

how to encourage partner companies/industries
in drafting MOA or MOU with the university.
The Dean should determine the factors that
defer the companies/industries from engaging
into MOA or MOU.
The key offices of the university such as Job
Placement Office and Industry Academe
Linkage should also coordinate with the Deans
of the colleges having an OJT requirement on
conducting a study on the factors that may
hinder the companies/industries in engaging
into MOA or MOU.
The Commission on Higher Education should
review the policies, standards and guidelines of
the different programs and formulate proper
guidelines
including
the
specified
companies/industries where the students may
have the training and the academic requirement
to comply before having the training.
The University should draft a manual of
procedures to be implemented university
wide which will embody the following:
Objectives of the OJT program
General guidelines on the implementation of
the OJT program
Specific guidelines of the colleges on the
implementation of the OJT program
Duties and responsibilities of the College OJT
coordinators
Copy of the tri partite agreement
Format of the accomplishment report upon
completion of the OJT
Evaluation form
The various Deans/OJT coordinators should
possibly set deadline when issuing letter of
recommendation to the students.
Constant follow ups to the students may possibly
help.

From table 6, there were four (4) major concerns from the Dean/OJT coordinators of the selected
colleges. The difficulty of establishing an MOA or MOU from the different companies/industries may
19

85

possibly be resolve by the intervention of the university administration and key offices such as Job
Placement office and Linkage Office. They should in their end initiate the possibilities of formally linking
up the university with the corporate world.
Guidelines should be embodied in the different policies, standards and guidelines of the
Commission of Higher Education. These guidelines should include nature of company wherein the
training can be conducted and the academic requirement of the students that may enroll OJT. The manual
of procedures of the implementation of the OJT should be drafted by the selected colleges and the
university officials. These guidelines will be in concordance with the requirement of the Commission on
Higher Education.The schedule for applying to the companies should also set by the selected colleges so
that students may have enough time to look for other companies if they have not been accepted to the
company they have applied first.
Table 7 shows the Problem/Solution table for the common concerns of the students regarding the OJT.
Table 7
Summary of Students Common Problem/Solution
Problems

Possible Solution

1.

Problems on public relation/customer attitudes

2.

Guidelines were not discussed thoroughly

during the orientation of the OJT.

3.

4.

Mismatch of trainees field of specialization to

their assigned position in the companies.

Difficulty in finding/applying to
companies/industries for OJT and delay in the
completion of the OJT.

Students should be oriented by the OJT

Coordinator on the things to expect in the
workplace.
It will also help prepare the students if a pre
training seminar will be conducted to prepare
the mindset of the students.
The Deans/OJT coordinators of the selected
colleges should present and explain the general
guidelines of the OJT. These should include the
availability of OJT slots, possible companies
that they may apply for training, grading
system, evaluation/visitation period of the OJT
coordinator, requirements for the compilation
of OJT report, proper conduct in the workplace
and grounds for termination of training.
Brochures should also be provided to the
trainees for reference.
The Dean/OJT coordinators should evaluate the
position and department where the students are
to be assigned. If there will be any mismatch on
this matter, the OJT coordinator should request
to the company to re- assign the trainees where
their skills are applicable.
Students should also inform the OJT
coordinators in cases wherein colleges were not
aware of the situation so that as early as
possible, there will be actions that will be done
by the OJT coordinators.
The university through the respective colleges
should benchmark the offering of OJT from
other schools so that the schedules of OJT can
be implemented during non peak seasons.

20

87

In table 7, the concerns of the students during the FGD were summarized into four. Proper
training should be given to the students before deployment like enhancing interpersonal skills, types of
workplace problems commonly encountered by the newbies and time management.
Orientation Seminar should also be scheduled before the start of the formal training and should
also be documented. These rules and guidelines should be explained clearly and brochures of the general
guidelines will be distributed to the students.
The mismatch concerns between the field of specialization o and the tasks assigned to the
students are an issue that needs to be settled. It must be specified in the recommendation letter to the
companies the specified competencies and field the students are supposedly to be assigned.The Deans and
OJT coordinators need to benchmark the schedule for OJT of other universities in the vicinity and nearly
provinces. In this way, students will not have a hard time scheduling their training and can comply with
the duty hours on time.
Table 8 shows the different recommendations of the students in the practice of the OJT. These
recommendations were taken from the OJT report of the respondents of the selected colleges. Additional
information was taken from the conducted FGD with the students who are undergoing or have undergone
OJT.
Table 8
Matrix of Students Recommendation on the Practice of OJT
Students Recommendations
College of Business Administration

Guidelines should be presented thoroughly.

Training on word processors and spread sheets must be intensified
Familiarization of the programs used by the different companies like Peach Tree
Mock up interview should be conducted before the application to reinforce the
communication skills of the students
Add more duty hours to have more time mastering the skills
Students should be required to report per term to the OJT coordinator for
assessment/evaluation.
The university should be the one to provide companies for us to train. We are paying for
our OJT but we are the ones having problem to which company to apply.
Allowance should be provided by the company since we are working like regular
employees.

College of Computer Studies

The university should have more linkages with IT companies so that students will have
more choices.
Extensive trainings in database programming should be implemented because that is the
trend of the IT field nowadays.
The orientation conducted by the college should be more informative.
Personality seminar should be conducted to the students before their training.
There should be an OJT coordinator for the university to tackle issues and practices of
OJT Coordinators so that they will be the one to scout companies/industries for the
students.
21

There should be an allowance even if for transportation only. I designed a web page for a
client and the company earned a lot from it.

Table 8 (continuation)
Matrix of Students Recommendation on the Practice of OJT
College of Engineering

Specific subjects in every field should be taken by the students who will be enrolling OJT in
the summer.
It would be better if there is a standard fee for OJT so that students will not request form time
to time.
It would be better if there is constant support from the school so that the students can be
encouraged and morally supported.
The duration of the training must be made longer since 240 hours is not enough to learn so
many things in the field.

The university should be the one to find industries for us to train.

The school should allow student assistants to have an OJT outside the school campus.
The school should upgrade their equipment because the trends in the industries are very
advance compare to the ones the students used in school. But the principles are just the same.
The school should allow trainees to enroll other subjects as long as they can handle their
schedule well.

From the table above, there were various recommendations given by the students. The most
common recommendations are orientation of the general guidelines must be conducted thoroughly
explaining each guideline, allowances should be provided by the company since the students work like
regular employees, the university should be the one to scout for companies/industries for students to get
into training and conducting different trainings and seminars to prepare the students be more ready with
the OJT.
The recommendation of allowance is the discretion of the company. There are some
companies/industries who were offering allowances to their trainees while most of the companies have no
allowances given to the trainees. However, this concern may cause problems with the trainees. The
company and OJT coordinator with the student trainees receiving allowance should make this issue
confidential to eliminate further problems it may cause to other trainees.
The recommendation of lengthening the OJT hours for the College of engineering has been
addressed by extending the duty hours to 360 for the 2011 and 2012 curricula.
The university should look into the concern of the students regarding the universitys duty to find the
companies/industries for training. It is a long process to achieve this recommendation. The university
needs to consider of having an office that will handle OJT concerns together with the help of the OJT
coordinators of the selected colleges.

22

Table 9 shows the matrix of the different recommendations by the companies/industries in the
implementation of the OJT program. These recommendations were taken from evaluation form filled
out by the different company/industry representatives.

Table 9
Matrix of Companys/Industrys Recommendation on the
Practice of OJT
Companys/Industrys Recommendations
Conduct training/seminars on personality development and interpersonal skills.
The student should be given enough time for training. The 200 hours requirement is very limited
to learn more skills.
Students should be oriented on what to expect with the working environment to eliminate
conflicts.
Trainees should have the initiative to ask questions when the task given to them must not be clear.
Further develop more skills to be successful in your chosen profession.
Review the subjects taken by the students so that during the OJT they will have a good
background on the actual tasks.
The school representative should often visit their trainees to track on how they improve with their
job.
Trainees should develop self confidence so that their mind set is that they are working as
employee and not merely being there to comply the schools requirement.
Students should be more focus with the assigned task and not studying or making their reports
while at work.
The school should design their OJT programs in multiple offerings. In this way, there will be task
routine. Our company is more willing to have this scheme to help the students gain more skills.
Collaboration between the companys representative and OJT coordinators should be done
especially in the evaluation of the trainee.

In table 9, these were the usual recommendations from the companys representative to improve
the student trainees and the practice of OJT. Requirement of conducting trainings on personality
development, interpersonal skills and skills orientated topics were both recommended by the trainees and
the company. These could recommendations that will be positively taken by the selected colleges since it
is preparing the students to be more equipped when training will be conducted.

23

For the College of Computer Studies, more database subjects were offered in the 2011 and 2012
curricula to address the concern of IT companies. These subjects were very helpful for the students since
most of the IT companies were relying to database for their operations.The College of Engineering has
revised the order of subject offerings specifically with the Civil Engineering Department. It has been
recommended by both industries and students that certain subjects like Design and Estimates should be
offered in the 4th year level. Some construction and design firms required the trainees to do design and
estimate to certain projects. The students claimed that they have a hard time complying with the task since
the subject is offered on the 5th year level.
Another recommendation which was significant to the researchers point of view is that OJT
should be offered in multiple offerings so that there will be more avenue for learning and enhancement of
skills. For example the students can have series of OJTs during the 3 rd year and 4th year. In this way, more
time is allotted for host companies to deliver the competencies that the trainees should learn from the
training. This could be considered by the selected colleges since the thrust of the educational system in
our country is Outcomes Based Education (OBE). These recommendations suggested by the
companies/industries should be taken into account by the university administration and the respective
colleges to enhance the practice and implementation of the OJT program of the university.

The Proposed OJT Manual

An OJT manual has been designed and formulated by the researcher to address the issue of
standardizing the practices and guidelines in the implementation of the OJT program. The selected
colleges were considered.
The OJT manual of procedures include the following sections: (1) Introduction of OJT, (2)
Overview of the OJT, (3) General Objectives of the OJT, (4) Role of the University, (5) Duties and
Responsibilities of the College through the OJT Coordinators, Students, Parents/Guardians, Host
Companies, (6) General Requirements of OJT (7) General Guidelines before the OJT, during OJT and
After the OJT, (8) Format of OJT Report, (9) Appendices that will include Parents Waiver, Trade
Agreement, Letter of Recommendation, Information Sheet, Evaluation Forms and other related
documents.
The guidelines were set to avoid encountering the same concerns of the students, Deans and OJT
Coordinators. The evaluation form is comprised of two parts. Part 1 includes the work factors that are
common to all programs and Part 2 is drafted to embody the competencies that should be learned by the
students during the training.

Conclusion
In view of the foregoing findings, the following conclusions were drawn. The selected colleges
have common practices in the implementation of the OJT though there were selected colleges that do not
follow any OJT manual of procedures. The selected colleges are following the mandates of the Policies,
Standards and Guidelines through the Commission on Higher Education on the implementation of the
OJT practice. The OJT subject unit requirements based on the said PSGs are met by the selected colleges.
The concerns of the students during the OJT period and those of the Deans/OJT coordinators are
attainable through proper coordination and implementation. The over all performance of the student
trainee respondents from then selected colleges is very satisfactory however there are still rooms for
improvements to lessen or eliminate the concerns brought about by the training.

24

The companies/industries are more than willing to help the academe on the enhancement of the
OJT program by stating recommendations which can be attained through proper assessment of the
program and implementation of guidelines that will be adapted university wide. The need to draft an OJT
Manual of Procedure is timely to address specific concerns of the students, Deans and OJT coordinators
on the implementation of OJT.

Recommendation
Based on the findings and conclusion mentioned above, the following recommendations are
presented:
1. Capitol University should consider creating an office under the Educational Linkage that will
engage in establishing formal linkages with companies/industries that will solely deal with OJT
undertakings. The university should align itself with the implementation of K to 12 educational
systems wherein the Grades 11 and 12 will be for Technical Vocational High School and Career
Academy. There is a vivid possibility of offering short modular courses. These short courses will
be offered by the different colleges to fill in the vacuum from school year 2016 2018. OJT is
one major requirement for the completion of the short term courses.
2. The colleges through the Deans and OJT coordinators will conduct a benchmarking session to
tackle issues of schools offering the same programs and its usual OJT practices and schedules. In
this way, there will be consideration in revising the order of the subjects to accommodate OJT in
different semestral periods.
3. The Job Placement Office of the university must have continuous monitoring of the students who
will be undergoing OJT through mock up interviews, personality and career tests, personality
development seminars, interpersonal skills enhancement, and expectation in the workplace. The
Guidance Office is also encouraged to take part on giving advices to student trainees who have
experienced work related stress in the duration of the training.
4. The college and the partner companies should consider enhancing the OJT through structured
training. The trainees will be involved in different programs to attain the core competencies of
course.
5. Continuous monitoring of the effectivity of the OJT should be organized. The evaluation of the
OJT program itself should be conducted through a survey before and after the training hours. The
colleges can determine the how significant is the training through the trainees own perception. It
will also help established new sets of guidelines for the OJT to lessen if not eliminate the
common concerns and enhance the strengths of the program.
6. The University can also consider standardizing the fee for OJT which includes tuition,
miscellaneous and other additional fees.
7. The University through the College Deans and OJT Coordinators should standardize the
requirements upon completion of the training and the evaluation forms that should be adapted.
8. In the college level, skills required by companies/industries for trainees should be identified and
reinforced in different trainings/seminars to also give our student the chance of competing with
other trainees from other schools. Companies/Industries based on their recommendations are
looking for trainees equipped with the proper technical and interpersonal skills.
9. The OJT manual of procedures drafted by the researcher should be enhanced considering all
programs of the university having OJT/Practicum/Related Learning Experience and implemented
to standardize the practices and guidelines of the OJT program of the university. This will include

25

also survey forms, Outcomes Based Education (OBE) evaluation forms and OJT compilation
requirements.
10. The OBE based evaluation forms should be formulated based on the competencies of each
program. The College should conduct a consultation meeting with the host companies to
determine the competencies needed in the workplace and what competencies are being learned by
the students in the classroom setting. This will enable both parties to create a structured training
for the student trainees to be able to meet the requirements of learning the different competencies.

Appendices
Appendix A
Interview Guide
Deans and OJT Coordinator
1. How are you assisting the students in your college in their OJT?
Enrollment only
Find a suitable company as venue for OJT and let the students do the processing
Recommend the students directly to companies
Others: _____________________________________
2. What is/are the concerns encountered by your office with the OJT program?
Few companies accepts OJT coming from our institution
Students forgot to enroll OJT
No standing MOA/MOU from company partners regarding OJT
Others: ___________________________________
3. Is OJT part of CHEDs curricular requirement?
Yes: CMO #: _____________ # of hours: ____________
No
4. What is your assessment in terms of the trainees performance on OJT in the last 5 years?
Excellent
Very satisfactory
Satisfactory
Needs Improvement
5. To what extent does Capitol University Administration help the OJT coordinators in the
facilitation of the trainees?
Honorarium
Transportation Allowance
Not Applicable
Others: ________________________________
6. Is there an existing OJT manual in your college?
Yes
No
7. Are the provisions in the manual followed?
26

 Yes
No: Specify: _____________________________
8. Are their problems met on the implementation of the guidelines stipulated in the manual?
Yes: Specify: ____________________________
No
9. What are then possible actions that can be taken by the college to uplift the significance of OJT?
Specify: _______________________________
10. Are you satisfied with the provisions of the manual?
Yes: Specify: ______________________________
No: Specify: ______________________________
11. Is there a standard evaluation form for supervisors in assessing the trainees?
Yes: Specify format: _______________________
No: Why? ________________________________
12. Are you satisfied with the items stipulated in the evaluation form?
Yes: Specify: _____________________________
No: Specify: ______________________________
13. Is there an exit survey/interview conducted in your college after students take their OJT?
Yes: Reason: _______________________________
No: Reason: ________________________________

27

Appendix B
Focus Group Discussion Guide
Students
1. Are you satisfied with the delivery of the OJT program with respect to:
Assistance extended by Capitol University
Industry Partner
2. How did you find a company for your training?
Assistance from the College. Specify: ___________________
Personal Scouting
Referral: Specify: ______________________________________
Advertisement: Specify: _______________________________
Direct Recommendation: Specify: ______________________
3. How long did it take you to find a company?
Specify length of time: ______________________________________
4. What is/are the problems met during the application process?
No/Minimal assistance from the College
No standard procedures being followed in the company in the hiring of the trainees
It takes a long time to evaluate documents in the company
Others: Specify: ______________________________________
5. Is your job assignment in line with the skills you have learned in school?
Yes: Specify: ______________________________________________
No: Specify: _______________________________________________
6. If answer in #5 is NO, how did you overcome the mismatch of your skills to the job description?
Ask the supervisor to transfer you to another department
Continue with the training
Others: Specify: _________________________________________
7. What is your assessment with the training that you receive?
Excellent
Very Satisfactory
Satisfactory
Needs Improvement
8. How long did it take you to finish your training?
Specify length of time: _________________________________________
28

9. Is there an allowance provided by the company for the trainees?

Yes: Specify Amount: ________________
No
10. What skills have you gained from the training?
Technical Skills: ______________________________________
Interpersonal Skills: ___________________________________
Communication Skills: ________________________________
Other Skills: __________________________________________
11. What suggestions can you make to improve the implementation of the OJT program?
Specify: ____________________________________________________

Acknowledgement
I give my sincerest gratitude to these wonderful persons who in one way or the other have helped
me through my journey. Dr. Vincent L. Salas, for unselfishly sharing his knowledge and expertise to
make this research significant. I always look up to you as a great mentor; Dr. Salvador A. Aves, Dr.
Luvismin S. Aves, Dr. Alan N. Aladano and Dr. Francis Thaise A. Cimene, for guiding me in making
this study more relevant. The Graduate School is so lucky to have you as professors; Dr. Franco C.
Flores, for always believing in my capacity to carry out this research. I am always so proud to be a
member of your team; My colleagues in the College of Engineering, thank you for helping me realized
that there is always rainbow after the rain.DM classmates, you have always been a driving force in the
completion of this study; Atty. Jun and Dr. Fe, my respect and gratitude will always be with you and
Capitol University; My parents, Daddy and Mama Miang, I am still grieving for losing you both but I
am at peace knowing that you have now continued your journey in eternity. You may have left me
physically but you have continued to give me the guidance and strength when in times I feel like quitting.
I love you both; My siblings, Francis Ann, Leen Antonette and Neil Anthony, thank you for the
encouragement. I know we can continue the legacy of our parents. Let us hold on to one another to
achieve this; My husband, Dennis, my gratitude for also burning with me my midnight candles. You
have showed me the patience in times I am troubled and shared with me a good laugh in times of weary
and despair; Mr. and Mrs. Lito Acabal, for extending your help in order for me to go through this
journey. My husband is so lucky for having you as his bosses; My Aunt Leah and Uncle Morbit, thank
you for helping me with my financial struggle and giving me advices of staying strong and firm; The
Almighty God, for the countless blessings you have showered me even though at time I forgot my duties
as your child; To the countless people not mentioned, you will always be remembered in my heart.
To God be the glory!

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