ON-THE-JOB TRAINEES' FEEDBACK ON INDUSTRY PARTNERS: BASIS FOR OJT PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT

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ON-THE-JOB TRAINEES’ FEEDBACK ON INDUSTRY PARTNERS: BASIS FOR OJT
PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT
Dr. Elmer F. Callo, Prof. Elvira L. Bice, Prof. Leo Marc V. Antipolo,
and Dr. Eric Agullana Matriano
Abstract - On-the-Job Training (OJT) programs expose the students to work in their field and prepare them once
they get out of the university or college. It ensures the possibility of good performer graduate; thus, a quantitative
study conducted among (176) senior CBA students with practicum subjects in Columban College enrolled during the
2nd semester of SY 2018-2019 revealed that the industry partners of CEAS support the interns to a great extent in
terms of work ethics, collaboration and teamwork, regard for people, decision making and empowerment; however,
lowest in communication. Interns consider some problems in the workplace like trainer not having enough time to
teach and supervise, lacking good working relationship and having instructions that are not clearly defined.
Moreover, the interns’ program affects his feedback on his industry partner’s performance. The industry profile
variables such as industry name, type of business, number of employees and length of operation are related with the
problems encountered by the interns during their internship. Therefore, the CBA may review the current Memorandum
of Agreement / Understanding between interns specifically by program and their partners to address the problem
regarding extent of supervision and training.
Keywords –industry partnership, linkage, on-the-job training, training, feedback, OJT Program
INTRODUCTION
The curriculum of various programs in the College of Business and Accountancy (CBA),
Columban College highlights the internship program with a minimum of 300 to 600 hours spent in different
sites.
This internship program actualizes the students’ competencies learned in theories inside the vicinity
of the university. The programs expose the students to work in their field and to prepare them once they get
out of the university or college. It ensures the possibility of good and competent graduates. In collaboration,
industry partners’ objectives provide students with actual workplace experience, exposure to various
management styles, industrial and procedures of various occupations in relation to their respective fields of
learning. It also gives standards and guidelines for conducting OJTs such as amount of workload, number
of hours, learning objectives, monitoring scheme and sanctions. It clearly establishes the roles and
responsibilities of involved parties and provide for protocols regarding different situations that may arise
during the OJT. It also promotes the OJT program through standardized procedures that are uniform,
manageable, and practical so that more institutions will participate. Internships are work-based activities
in which students engage in learning through practical and relevant experiences at various internship sites.
Internships are undertaken by students who are at or near the end of a preparatory academic
program [1]. Taladtad et al. [2] moreover asserted that the most effective method to develop the competence
and skills of students is through hands-on training, the on-the-job training wherein productivity, and
professionalism will normally be high in those individuals that employ a sound OJT program. Interns
performed better when they viewed their supervisors as advocating a balance of concerns for both learning
and performance during the internships [3]. Megha [4] claimed that internship can be an important stepping-
stone on the career path in communication and it is also a way to show a future employer what one has
obtained on-the-job skills. The investigation conducted by Martinez, Lontoc, Villena and Laguador [5] on

the correlation of OJT performance showed that the students obtained an excellent performance rating in
their OJT with high academic performance rating in media marketing and average in advertising principle.
Students with high academic performance in business principles also obtained high training performance
except in adherence to company policy.
On the other hand, it was found on the study by Bernardo, Landicho, and Laguador [6] regarding
how the business students performed during their OJT that there is a need to enhance the communication
skills of the interns through giving them more verbal exercises as learning activity in school as well as more
case studies to analyze and simulate for better understanding of the subject; thus, becoming more adept in
the workplace. Others have emphasized the needs for students to acquire skills on analytical ability,
computer applications, creative thinking, decision making, and task-related attributes [7], [8]. Industry
partners aim to develop student’s skills to help them better and more independent learners, which will in
turn improve their employability and attitudes towards work. Allowing the graduating students to apply
what they have learned from books in a work environment through On-the-Job Training would develop
their work values and attitude necessary to achieve the ultimate goal of producing efficient and effective
leaders and professionals in cross-cultural and multidisciplinary undertakings [9], [10]. Trainees always
have feedback on industry partners. These are additional knowledge to their field, learning acquired during
OJT and satisfaction to their industry partner. Busby and Gibson (2010) noted that gaining experience in
management and management methods, developing maturity and self-esteem, recognizing problems and
determining solution standards, and offering opportunities and career choices for the future. The institution
builds a tie up with companies that may eventually employ their graduates by offering on- the- job training
opportunities. The other advantage is that it maintains and makes revision or proposes modifications to the
current curriculum to satisfy the requirements of industry [8]. Therefore, it is important to know whether
the industry partner is true to their responsibility in providing the student/trainee with opportunities to work
with the specific department or area where they can best apply the theories, principles and ideas learned in
the academe. It is also important if they are supervising the student/trainee for the duration of the on-the-
job training program in order to ensure effective learning to the trainees.
Program accreditation is one of the quality assurance mechanisms that supports the academic
activities of the university [11-15]. In the previous Accreditation visits the panel looked into the presence
of a study conducted by the College regarding evaluation of the industry partner’s performance on the
improvement of the students and the school as well. Another is the feedback of the interns on their host
institution. A lot of evaluation and researches are done on how the students can improve based on the
suggestions of the collaborating industry; however, none is written on the assessment of the interns
regarding their host companies. Thus, this paper is conceptualized. This study analyzed the feedback of the
students from the CBA, Columban College on their industry partners to examine the area for improvement
in the program of study and how the students can adapt, develop and enhance their knowledge, values and
skills to become qualified future professionals in performing critical and analytical tasks required of them.
As researchers, it is their hope that this will contribute to the data bank the department collate pushing the
curriculum developers to integrate valuable inputs this paper may result.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
This study identifies the feedback of the on-the-job trainees on the industry partners of the College of
Business and Accountancy (CBA) for Academic Year 2018 – 2019. Specifically, it
1. Assesses the industry partners in terms of: (a) collabortion and teamwork, (b) communication, (c) regards
for people, (d) decision-amking and empowerment, and (e) work ethics.
2. Determines problems encountered by the OJT’s during their on-the-job training

3. Proposes actions to enhance the OJT program of the College based on the result of the study.
METHODOLOGY
Research Design
The researchers employed the descriptive-survey design in order to figure out the prevailing
condition of the CBA students’ OJT condition through finding out the trainees’ feedback on industry
partners. Descriptive-survey method of research, according to Bernardez (2011), is concerned with the
prevailing or existing status of an event or problem. This employs questionnaire, interview and observation
as datagathering procedures.
Participants
The respondents of the study were the one hundred seventy-six (176) senior CBA students with
practicum subjects enrolled during the 2nd semester of AY 2018-2019 corresponding to a 100% utilizing
total sampling. They were asked about their feedback on their industry partners who served as basis for an
enhanced OJT performance.
Table 1. Distribution of the Respondents per Program
Program
Population
Business Admin
59
Accountancy
27
Hospitality
62
Tourism
28
TOTAL
176
Instrument
The researchers used modified questionnaire in gathering data patterned from the survey questionnaire of
Busby and Gibson [16] modified to suit the present study. To make the questionnaire brief and convenient
to answer, a checklist type questions answerable by (1) to a very little extent (2)-to a little extent, (3)-to
some extent, (4)- to a great extent, (5)- to a very great extent was used. This is composed of four parts. The
first part deals with the student and industry partner respondents’ profile. Second part is the intern’s
feedback on industry partner and the third are the problems encountered during internship using the
following scale; (4)-Always a problem (3)-Sometimes a problem (2)-A problem (1)-Never a problem. A
part for unstructured questionnaire is placed where they are free to write their comments and suggestions.
Three experts validated the instrument and was pilot tested to 25 students not covered by the study. The
reliability index is 0.79 using test-retest method.
Data Gathering Procedure
The researchers conducted the survey as soon as the OJT’s finish their required number of hours for the
Program. Interview was done as well as analysis of the OJT portfolio for validation. Focus group discussion
was also done per program to further extract information about their experiences in their OJT workplace.
Data Analysis
Percentage, Mean and Weighted Mean were used to analyzed the data. The given scale was used to interpret
the result of the study: 4.20 – 5.00 – To a Very Great Extent (TVGE); 3.40 – 4.19 – To a Great Extent
(TGE); 2.60 – 3.39 – To Some Extent (TSE); 1.80 – 2.59 To a Little Extent (TLE); 1.00 – 1.79 – To a Very
Little Extent (TVLE). The given scale was used to interpret the result of the problems encountered: 3.25 –

4.00 – Always a Problem (A); 2.50 – 3.24 – Sometimes a Problem (S); 1.75 – 2.49 A Problem (AP); 1.00
– 1.74 – Never a Problem (N)
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
1. Sector of the Industry Partners
Table 1. Distribution of Industry-Partners by Sector
Sector
BSA
BSBA
BSHRM
BSTM
Total
%
Banks, Insurance and Lending
Companies
8
15
0
0
23
13
Hotels
0
4
28
2
34
19
Restaurants
0
3
21
3
27
Govt Offices (BIR, SSS,
PhilHealth, DOLE, DTI, DILG,
DOT, etc.)
5
20
0
3
28
15
Trading and Auction
2
5
0
0
7
4
Manufacturing
1
4
0
0
5
3
Theme Parks and Resorts
1
2
12
11
26
15
Travel Agencies
0
0
0
7
7
4
Shopping Malls
1
4
0
0
5
3
Law and Accounting Firms
9
1
0
0
10
6
Event Management Firm
0
1
1
2
4
2
Total
27
59
62
28
176
100
Table 1 reveals that the students are deployed in relevant workplaces based on their specialization.
Majority of the HRM students were deployed in hotels and restaurants within the city and at the Subic Bay
Freeport Zone. Tourism Management students were assigned in theme parks and resorts as well in hotles,
restaurants, travel agencies and event management firms. The Accountancy students were deployed in
banks, insurance companies, government offices such as Bureau of Internal Revenue, Commission on Audit
and in some accounting and law firms. The BSBA students are assigned in banks, government offices,
manufacturing industry, and in some private companies and were deployed as marketing, HRD, operation,
logistics, finance and accounting trainees.
2. Feedback Assessment of the Industry-Partners

It can be deduced from Table 2 that interns experienced collaboration and teamwork with their
industry partners to a great extent as evidenced by a composite mean of 3.99. They considered the people
with whom they worked helped the trainees solve their problems with WM of 4.32 or “To a Very Great
Extent”. By effective, they said that the competencies expected of them in the courses they learned inside
the classroom were given experiential exposure. They felt that people they have worked with demonstrate
care with one another, they were available for assistance and took time to have fun together.
Table 2. OJT’s Feedback on Industry Partners in terms of Collaboration and Teamwork
Indicators
BSA
BSBA
HRM
TM
Overalll
WX
DR
The people with whom I
worked are an effective team
3.98
3.94
3.82
4.02
3.94
TGE
The people with whom I
worked care about one
another.
3.75
4.01
3.88
3.87
3.88
TGE
The people have strong trust
among the team members.
4.12
4.10
3.89
3.75
3.97
TGE
The people with whom I
worked made themselves
available to others to provide
assistance.
3.98
4.13
4.03
4.11
4.06
TGE
The person to whom I
reported helped me solve
problems.
4.25
4.33
4.42
4.27
4.32
TVGE
My team took time to have
fun together
3.67
3.85
3.75
3.78
3.76
TGE
Overall
3.96
4.06
3.97
3.97
3.99
TGE
In terms of communication, the interns have assessed their industry partners to a great extent with
composite mean of 3.94 revealing that the communications given to them were clear and no hidden
meaning, provided feedback about their work, and were understood what the company expected from them.
Table 3. OJT’s Feedback on Industry Partners in terms of Communication
Indicators
BSA
BSBA
HRM
TM
Overalll
WX
DR
I had access to the information I
needed.
3.58
3.92
3.89
3.68
3.77
TGE

I understood what was expected
of me.
4.11
4.23
3.99
3.92
4.06
TGE
People gave feedback about my
work.
4.07
4.13
4.16
4.11
4.12
TGE
People enjoin me in
constructive discussion/
dialogue.
3.78
3.69
3.88
3.76
3.78
TGE
Communication was clear with
no hidden meanings.
4.11
4.26
4.15
4.15
4.17
TGE
Negative gossiping is never
sensed in the workplace.
3.75
3.78
3.73
3.65
3.73
TGE
Overall
3.70
4.00
3.97
3.88
3.94
TGE
In terms of regard for people, the interns considered their experience with their industry partners
as to a great extent with a general composite mean of 4.16. They said that people in the organization where
they stayed listened to them as equals regardless of race, gender, position, age, education or career level.
On-the job trainees come from different schools; however, they are treated equally. They also feel that their
development was prioritized. All five indicators positively assess good value for people which made them
enjoy the place of work.
Table 4. Interns’ Feedback on Industry Partners in terms of Regard for People
Indicators
BSA
BSBA
HRM
TM
Overalll
WX
DR
People were listened to as
equals regardless of race,
gender, position, age,
education or career level.
4.12
4.31
4.12
4.23
4.20
TVGE
People were treated fairly.
4.21
4.28
4.32
4.25
4.27
TVGE
I felt cared about like an
employee.
4.31
4..41
4.34
4.21
4.29
TVGE
I felt valued for the work I did.
4.07
4.15
4.21
4.10
4.13
TGE
My learning and development
was a high priority.
3.89
4.06
3.88
3.95
3.95
TGE
People with whom I worked
made me feel being loved and
valued.
4.19
4.24
4.17
3.99
4.15
TGE

Overall
4.13
4.21
4.17
4.12
4.16
TGE
In terms of decision-making and empowerment, Table 5 registered a composite mean of 3.78,
meaning to a great extent. The student interns said that they were comfortable raising issues and concerns
related to job and that they were trusted to do a good job. It is very well emphasized during the orientation
of with students and parents that when in the workplace, they are expected to abide by the policy and do
their best; thus, enhancing their capacity to excel and innovate. Also, the interns to a great extent provide
input when decisions were being made.
Table 5. OJT’s Feedback on Industry Partners in terms of Decision making and Empowerment
Indicators
BSA
BSBA
HRM
TM
Overalll
WX
DR
I was given authority to make
decisions on my own.
3.04
3.16
3.35
3.25
3.20
TSE
The person to whom I reported was
supportive of my decisions.
3.98
3.85
3.74
3.68
3.81
TGE
I got to provide input when
decisions were being made.
3.15
3.24
3.18
3.21
3.20
TSE
I was comfortable raising issues or
questions.
4.11
4.24
4.31
4.40
4.27
TVGE
I received regular constructive
feedback on my performance.
3.79
4.12
4.19
4.25
4.09
TGE
I was trusted to do both simple and
complex job.
4.13
4.18
4.19
4.00
4.13
TGE
Overall
3.70
3.80
3.83
3.80
3.78
TGE
In the context of education, State of Victoria [17] stressed on several benefits between stakeholder
and colleges agreement. One is higher quality decisionmaking. On the part of the colleges, greater
engagement with stakeholders’ interests improves risk management practices allowing problems to be
identified earlier, thereby reducing future costs. For industry partners, getting inputs from interns improve
access to decision making process also, resulting in the delivery of more efficient and responsive services.
The interns mentioned also that there were times; they were given authority to make simple decisions on
their own. Little decisions like when communication students are on field pursuing news articles that will
take time beyond office hours, or student teachers who attend activities that necessitate their beyond duty
responsibility. They were able to decide on their own in order to finish the leg work, and they were
permitted.

With a composite mean of 4.23, Table 6 exhibited that the respondents assess the stakeholders in
terms of work ethics to a very great extent. It is very evident that they care what they do, how they perform
each responsibility with the first. It is followed by display of integrity with where Columbanites are
expected to be committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct guided by its core values God
centeredness, leadership, integrity and nationalism. Integrity means the quality of being honest and fair;
one virtue which employers also firstly look into among their employees. Thus, they need to show this also
by example in the workplace.
Table 6. Interns Feedback on Industry Partners in terms of Work Ethics
Indicators
BSA
BSBA
HRM
TM
Overalll
WX
DR
The people with whom I
worked acted with integrity.
4.32
4.16
4.18
4.26
4.23
TVGE
The people with whom I
worked take ownership for
outcomes and results.
3.98
4.18
4.06
4.00
4.06
TGE
The people with whom I
worked care about their work.
4.35
4.37
4.28
4.27
4.32
TVGE
The company values
employee satisfaction and
morality.
4.11
4.24
4.31
4.40
4.27
TVGE
The people with whom I
worked with adhere to office
rules and policies.
4.18
4.24
4.34
4.33
4.27
TVGE
The people with whom I
worked with practice social
responsibility.
4.29
4.37
4.24
4.11
4.25
TVGE
Overall
4.21
4.26
4.24
4.23
4.23
TVGE
3. Problems Encountered by the OJT’s
Reveals in Table 6 are the problems encountered by the OJT’s in their workplace. The overall composite
mean is 3.41 which means that the student trainees experienced problems to a great extent. The most serious
problems they have encountered was that their superiors are not willing to listen to suggestions or
recommendations, that the company gives task/s not related to the specialization, and that the training
method is inefficient.

When asked to elaborate on these problems, some of them commented that their supervisors or boss do not
consider some of their suggestions on how to “short-cut” their work to become more efficient. Sometimes
what they are doing is routinary and they were never trained to other areas (for example, most HRM students
were not allowed to rotate jobs in the Front Office because this may affect customer impression). To some
their work follows operating standards that may be reduced into steps. To some they were assigned works
that are just clerical and/or very technical in nature that these do not challenged them.
Less serious problems are noted in terms of lack of supervision among immediate head, time
conflict between classes and OJT schedule, and the lack of monitoring of OJT coordinators from school.
Table 6. Problems Encountered by OJTs during Practicum
Indicators
BSA
BSBA
HRM
TM
Over-
all
WX
DR
The trainer may not have enough time
to teach and supervise the trainee.
3.04
3.16
3.35
3.25
3.20
TSE
The trainer lacks good working
relationship with the practicumer.
3.98
3.85
3.74
3.68
3.81
TGE
The trainer manifests bad habits which
may be passed on to the trainee.
3.15
3.24
3.18
3.21
3.20
TSE
Superiors are not willing to listen to
suggestions or recommendations.
4.11
4.24
4.31
4.40
4.27
TVG
E
The training method is inefficient.
3.79
4.12
4.19
4.25
4.09
TGE
The company gives task/s not related
to the specialization.
4.13
4.18
4.19
4.00
4.13
TGE
There is a risk of hazard/ accident in
the place.
3.98
3.65
4.32
3.46
3.85
TGE
The workloads assigned is too
many/heavy to comply.
3.46
3.44
3.52
3.46
3.47
TGE
The company is distant from the OJT’s
place.
3.68
3.49
3.65
3.49
3.58
TGE
There is a time conflict between
classes and OJT schedule.
2.95
3.12
2.34
3.12
2.88
TSE
The right facilities and equipment are
not available for the practice.
2.39
3.12
3.18
3.16
2.96
TSE
Instructions on work tasks are not
clearly defined and discussed.
3.23
3.16
3.18
3.15
3.18
TSE

There is lack of supervision among
immediate head.
2.16
2.19
2.34
2.15
2.21
TLE
There is lack of monitoring of OJT
coordinator from school.
2.31
3.16
3.14
3.15
2.94
TSE
Overall
3.31
3.44
3.47
3.42
3.41
TGE
4. Proposed Programs to enhance the Internship Program
The findings of the study suggest that a positive collaboration between the industry partner and the
College of Business and Accountancy may be more enhanced if some of the weak points resulted from the
feedback of the linkage together with the problems encountered by the interns be addressed. A proposed
program that focuses on addressing the serious problems identified by the student trainees as well as on
how to do better partnership with industry and company-partners was proposed to the Dean of the College.
CONCLUSION
The industry partners of Columban College-College of Business and Accountancy support the
interns to a great extent in terms of work ethics, collaboration and teamwork, regard for people, decision
making and empowerment; however, lowest in comunication. Interns consider the following as a prolem
in the workplace: trainer not having enough time to teach and supervise, lacking good working relationship
and having instructions that are not clearly defined. The interns’ program affects his feedback on his
industry partner’s performance. The industry profile variables such as industry name, type of business,
number of employees and length of operation are related with the problems encountered by the interns
during their internship. A plan of action is proposed to enhance the collaboration between CBA and the
industry partners.
RECOMMENDATION
The CBA may sustain its partnerships with stable institutions both public and national; however,
may review also its linkage with local and private. CBA may continuously implement strategies on
inculcating among students values on work ethics, collaboration and teamwork, regard for people, decision-
making and empowerment but improve more on skills in communication. The Office of the Dean may
review the current Memorandum of Agreement / Understanding between CBA’s interns specifically by
program and their partners to address the problem regarding extent of supervision and training. The
coordinator responsible for each program and the practicum course professor may study very carefully the
deployment of student interns with the proposed industry. Researchers may conduct future study
specifically on the relationship between feedback of the industry partners and their profile variables. The
proposed plan of action to enhance the CBA OJT program may be considered for implementation and
evaluation.
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