Beyond the Classroom: Trajectories of Technical-Vocational Livelihood Graduates of Nicolas l. Galvez Memorial, Integrated National High School

This study was conducted to analyze the post-graduation trajectories of Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) graduates with specialization in Agri-Fishery Arts from Nicolas L. Galvez Memorial Integrated National High School for the academic years 2018 to 2022. Specifically, the study investigated their employment status, the alignment of acquired skills with current occupations or entrepreneurial ventures, and their socio-economic conditions after completing Senior High School. Despite existing research on Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) graduates’ employment outcomes, there is a notable lack of focused studies examining the specific experiences of Agri-Fishery Arts graduates. A total of 203 graduates were surveyed where 36 from 2018, 42 from 2019, 40 from 2020, 40 from 2021, and 45 from 2022 using a structured Likert-scale questionnaire as the primary data-gathering instrument. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to summarize respondents’ demographic profiles and employment outcomes. Pearson correlation was used to identify significant relationships between demographics, career pathways, and socio-economic outcomes. Results revealed that most graduates were young, predominantly male and single, with the majority not pursuing higher education or obtaining licensure or civil service eligibility. Accessibility of the strand within the school was a key factor in enrollment decisions. While graduates rated their entrepreneurial soft skills as high, many remained unemployed or underemployed, indicating a disconnect between skills and labor market demands. Based on the findings, the study recommends strengthening employment linkages, enhancing career guidance, promoting further education and certification, improving alumni tracking, and implementing targeted training programs and teacher upskilling initiatives to better support the transition of graduates into meaningful employment.