The Department of Education (DepEd) said Wednesday that private-sector partners have pledged 47,439 work immersion slots for Senior High School (SHS) learners, bringing the agency to nearly 95 percent of its 50,000-slot target as it expands workplace training under the strengthened SHS curriculum.

The commitments, covering 1,565 job roles, were secured through the 2026 National Work Immersion Fair, which DepEd said aimed to strengthen partnerships between schools and industries and give students more opportunities for workplace-based training.

“By working closely with our private sector partners to foster innovation and global competitiveness, we are ensuring that every immersion experience is safe, aligned with industry standards, and directly leads to higher employability for our youth,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said.

The pledged slots span sectors including accommodation and food services, education, agriculture, forestry and fisheries, and administrative support services.

Stronger curriculum vowed

The work immersion initiative comes as DepEd rolls out its strengthened SHS curriculum, which reorganizes the program into Academic and Technical-Professional, or TechPro, tracks.

Under the revised curriculum, work immersion is being expanded from the previous 80-to-320-hour range to 320 to 640 hours. DepEd’s curriculum documents say TechPro learners must undergo work immersion, while Academic track learners may take alternative workplace-based learning experiences.

For broader implementation, DepEd has put safeguards in place to protect learner welfare. Work immersion schedules are limited to eight hours a day and 40 hours a week, while partner companies are screened based on business registration, permits, industry mapping, and compliance with DepEd’s child protection policies.