POST-SHS TRAJECTORIES: A DEMOGRAPHIC AND CAREER PATHWAY STUDY OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES OF STO. TOMAS SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

This study sought to analyze the post-Senior High School (SHS) trajectories of graduates from Sto. Tomas Senior High School from School Year (SY) 2017–2018 to SY 2024–2025, emphasizing their demographic profiles, strand completion, post-SHS pathways, institutional affiliations, and course alignment with their SHS backgrounds. Data were collected from 3,773 graduates utilizing a descriptive research methodology, through institutional records and follow-up surveys. The findings indicated that the majority of graduates sought further education, primarily enrolling in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs). The HUMSS strand was the most frequently finished, while courses connected with HUMSS were the most generally selected in higher education. Nonetheless, certain strand-to-course discrepancies were observed, especially among TVL and ABM graduates. A minor fraction of graduates participated in employment or entrepreneurship, although a significant segment was not involved in education, employment, or training (NEET). The results highlight the necessity to fortify career advice initiatives, augment TVL and STEM support frameworks, and institutionalize tracer studies to enhance curriculum pertinence and learner outcomes.