From classroom to career : navigating the transition from academia to workplace competition / Isabel C. Nañez, Marianne C. Victoria, and Sarah Jane S. Yaguel.

Undergraduate Thesis (BSOA)-Office Administration. Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges, 2025.

Includes bibliographical references.

This study examined the transition of Bachelor of Science in Office Administration (BSOA) graduates from Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges as they moved from academic training to the professional work environment. Employing a descriptive correlational research design, the study utilized survey questionnaires and interviews with forty-one graduates to assess their profile, level of preparedness, applicability of academic skills, and employment-related challenges. Findings revealed that graduates' communication, critical thinking, and technical skills developed during their college years were generally rated at a high level. However, a considerable gap persisted between theoretical preparation and the practical demands of their jobs. Aside from communication, adaptability emerged as a key
soft skills necessary for career success. The study also found a significant relationship between the graduates' confidence in their academic competencies and their perceived readiness for employment. Common challenges included insufficient industry experience, limited internship exposure, and difficulties adjusting to workplace dynamics. In response, the researchers proposed the institutionalization of mandatory internship and work immersion programs to strengthen the connection between academic learning and employability. The study concludes that continuous curriculum enhancement, stronger academia-industry collaboration, and intentional integration of soft skills are essential to developing competent, competitive, and industry-aligned office administration professionals for the 21st-century workforce. Building on these findings, the study emphasizes that while academic institutions have been successful in developing foundational competencies, greater emphasis must be placed on experiential learning opportunities. Exposure to real workplace settings allows students to apply theoretical knowledge, develop professional confidence, and cultivate workplace such as responsibility, teamwork, and adaptability.