Factors Affecting the Employment of Senior High School Graduates Under the Technical-Vocational-Livelihood Track in the 6th District of Pangasinan

This study examined the factors influencing the employment of Senior High School (SHS) graduates under the Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) track in the Sixth District of Pangasinan, Philippines. Specifically, it investigated the influence of technical skills competency, work immersion experience, employability skills, availability of local job opportunities, alignment of training with labor market needs, industry linkages and partnerships, career guidance and employment support, and socio-economic factors on graduates' employment. A descriptive-correlational research design was employed involving 200 SHS-TVL graduates from selected public and private secondary schools. Data were collected using a validated researcher-made questionnaire and analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, weighted mean, ranking, and inferential statistics at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that the respondents perceived all identified employment factors to have a high level of influence on their employment, with employability skills and work immersion experience obtaining the highest mean ratings. The most frequently reported employment challenges were limited availability of jobs related to their specialization, lack of vacancies, and insufficient work experience despite immersion. Significant relationships were found between selected profile variables and certain employment factors, indicating that demographic characteristics contribute to variations in perceived employability. Based on these findings, an Employment Enhancement Action Plan was developed to strengthen industry partnerships, enhance work immersion experiences, and promote competency-based training aligned with labor market needs. The study contributes empirical evidence on the employability of SHS-TVL graduates in rural and semi-urban communities and provides practical recommendations for educational institutions, policymakers, industry partners, and local government units to improve school-to-work transition and graduate employment outcomes.