WORK
IMMERSION
LESSON 1:
UNDERSTANDING WORK-IMMERSION
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY WORK IMMERSION?
The word “immersion” as it applies to the K to 12
curriculum is defined in the Department of Education
(DepEd) Order No. 40, series of 2015: “Work Immersion
refers to the part of the Senior High School (SHS)
Curriculum consisting of 80 hours of hands-on experience
or work simulation which the Grades 11 and 12 students
will undergo to expose them to the actual workplace
setting and to enrich the competencies provided by the
school under the supervision of the School Head and the
designated personnel of the Partner.”
Immersion is done outside the school campus
in a “Workplace Immersion Venue,” defined as “the
place where work immersion of students is done.
Examples of work immersion venues include offices,
factories, shops and project sites.” What could lead
to confusion is that the word “immersion” actually
has two meanings in K to 12. The first meaning
refers to a required SHS subject in the curriculum.
The second meaning refers not to a subject but to a
preferred mode of delivery of Tech-Voc subjects.
EXPECTED BEHAVIOUR
Every worker should possess
good behavior in their workplace
to maintain the balance and
harmonious work environment.
A. Work Ethics
By definition, Work ethic is a belief that
work, hard work and diligence has a moral
benefit and an inherent ability, virtue or value to
strengthen character. It is about prioritizing
work and putting it in the center of life. Social
engrailment of this value is considered to
enhance character through hard work that is
respective to an individual’s field of work.
A strong work ethic is vital for achieving goals.
A work ethic is a set of moral principles a person
uses in their job. People who possess a strong work
ethic embody certain principles that guide their work
behavior, leading them to produce high-quality work
consistently and the output feeds the individual to
stay on track. A good work ethic fuels an individual’s
needs and goals, it is related to the initiative by a
person for the objectives. It is considered as a source
of self-respect, satisfaction, and fulfillment.
However, a negative work ethic is a
behavior of a single individual or a
group that has led to a systematic
lack of productivity, reliability,
accountability and a growing sphere
of unprofessional / unhealthy
relationships (e.g., power politics, lack
of social skills, etc.)
B. Here are some factors of a good work
ethics:
● Goal-oriented actions: it is not about
making plans or the next logical steps;
it's about getting things done so that the
work invested wouldn't be counter-
productive.
● Dedicate on priority: focusing on
qualitative activities that a person is
capable and where they can make a
difference or a high impact based on
objectives.
● Being available and reliable: spending
time on the work and building oneself up
for the task.
● Conscientiousness: a desire to
do a task well, being vigilant
and organized.
● Creating a rewarding routine/system:
Engaging in tasks that provide strength and
energy which can be transferred to your
ultimate goals, creating a habit and a habitat
for success.
● Embracing positivism: shape a problem with
the statement "good, (action) (problem)", e.g.
"I'm tired and it is time for a workout" leads to
"Good. Workout tired".
3. CAPITALIST VIEW
Steven Malanga refers to "what was
once understood as the work ethic—not
just hard work but also a set of
accompanying virtues, whose crucial role
in the development and sustaining of free
markets too few now recall”.
Max Weber notes that this is not a
philosophy of mere greed, but a statement laden
with moral language. It is in effect an ethical
response to the natural desire for hedonic
reward, a statement of the value of delayed
gratification to achieve self- actualization.
Franklin claims that Bible readings revealed to
him the usefulness of virtue. Indeed, this reflects
the then Christian search for ethic for living and
the struggle to make a living.
4. ANTI-CAPITALIST VIEW
The industrial engineer Frederick Winslow Taylor
(1856-1915) revised the notion of work ethic as a means of
management control that delude workers about the actual
reality for accumulated advantage, which is a form of avarice.
Marxists, and some non-Marxist sociologists do not regard
"work ethic" as a useful sociological concept. They argue that
having a "work ethic" in excess of management's control
doesn't appear rational in any mature industry where the
employee can't rationally hope to become more than a
manager whose fate still depends on the owner's decisions.
NOTE: Since work ethics deals
with a code of conduct, or a set
of principles that is acceptable
in the work place, we need to
look at what some of those
principles are.
A list of work ethics for an employer or a
company might be:
● To provide a safe work environment for its
staff and employees,
● To treat employees with dignity and respect,
● To provide a fair wage for the services
rendered,
● To handle all business transactions with
integrity and honesty.
A list of work ethics for the employee might
include:
○ To show up on time.
○ To tend to company business for the
whole time while at work.
○ To treat the company’s resources,
equipment, and products with care,
○ To give respect to the company. That
means honesty and integrity.
