From classroom to career: A tracer study on the post-secondary trajectories and curricular alignment of senior high school graduates in the Philippines

Abstract

This tracer study investigates the post-secondary trajectories and academic transitions of graduates from a private secondary institution in the Philippines between 2018 and 2025. Utilizing a mixed-methods concurrent triangulation design, the research evaluates the employment status, tertiary enrollment patterns, and perceived curricular relevance among 195 alumni. Key findings indicate a predominant concentration in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) strand, with a high propensity for transitions into allied health sciences. At the same time, a significant majority (75%) demonstrated structural alignment between their secondary specializations and tertiary programs; 25% experienced curricular-career mismatch driven by shifting professional interests, academic rigor, and socio-economic constraints. Quantitative assessments yielded a mean significance rating of 3.03 for specialized coursework, highlighting the role of secondary curricula in providing cognitive scaffolding for university-level success. Furthermore, the study identifies a high institutional satisfaction rate (3.44), primarily attributed to pedagogical efficacy, despite identified disparities in physical infrastructure. These findings provide a critical empirical baseline as the Philippine educational landscape transitions toward the flexible, elective-based MATATAG curriculum in SY 2026–2027. By documenting the challenges of the traditional strand-based system, this research underscores the necessity for data-driven career guidance and adaptive counseling to ensure student readiness in an increasingly fluid global academic environment.