Use of Integrated Microsoft 365 and Power Platform in the Processing and Monitoring of On-the-Job Training (OJT) Program

The transition from traditional and paper-intensive processing of educational operations to a digital, seamless, and paperless workflow is an innovative solution when restricted by unforeseen events like the COVID-19 pandemic. Education professionals use low-code development platforms like Microsoft 365 and Power Platform to develop simple digital solutions. Educational activities such as on-the-job training (OJT) programs involve multiple-step processes and interaction between numerous stakeholders. The processing of documents and requests for signatures and approvals are the challenges in the conduct of OJT. An OJT Portal was developed using SharePoint sites integrated into Teams and automated by Power Automate to simplify processes and help the student trainees on their OJT. The primary operations on the OJT Portal are initiated by student trainees, from Recommendation Letter Request (RLR), Request for Endorsement (RE), General Acceptance Letter (GAL), Daily Time Record (DTR) to the Exit Interview Scheduler (EIS). Additional features on the portal include a list of OJT partners, career development materials, essential document access, and other recordings. SharePoint and OneDrive are the databases for all requested and submitted documents. Student trainees answered a 1–5 scale rating user satisfaction survey towards the end of their OJT program, where 4 and 5 are equivalent to good and best, respectively. The overall user experience from 173 student trainees showed feedback of Best (54.91%) and Good (33.53%), indicating a strong positive response and reflecting the system's effectiveness. Using the OJT Portal, student trainees may efficiently process their OJT anywhere, digitally record their progress, and organize related documents.

I. Introduction

The on-the-job training (OJT) program is a critical component of higher education and an essential part of the Philippine educational system. The objective of on-the-job training is to guide and develop the students in attaining the core competencies needed to find a particular job and translate them into profitable and stable working experiences. The training also aims to change trainees through knowledge, skills, and attitude improvement [1]. The conduct of OJT has been a great challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic due to restrictions on face-to-face processing of the necessary documents. Most higher education institutions have moved to online processes, integrated specialized applications, or used low-code development platforms (LCDP) in their operations [2]. LCDP is a software development environment that provides optimized solutions with minimal coding or completely code-free. An LCDP is a user-friendly environment for non-programmers in developing applications and digitalizing process operations by using built-in components. The workflow or process in an LCDP utilizes a graphical user interface for easier accessibility, thus eliminating the need to understand complex programming syntax and code stored as modules or templates. Work productivity is increased using LCDP in a centralized and sustainable manner [3]. One example is the Student Request System [2], developed using Microsoft 365 Apps and Microsoft Power Platform apps intended for small and medium offices in higher education institutions. This system allows students to lessen their time filling out forms and monitor submissions.