My OJT Journey

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OJT hours completed!

50 Hours In-campus Week of Internship Complete!

It’s been almost a week since I started my internship inside the school, from April 30 to May 9. So far, it has been a productive and enjoyable experience. One of our first major tasks was covering boxes with golden wrap—a fun and creative activity that took us nearly two days to finish. It was surprisingly satisfying to see everything neatly wrapped and well-organized.

We also took on the task of arranging graduation frames alphabetically by surname, using a reference list to guide us—instructed by ma'am Riza. There’s something fulfilling about putting things in order and seeing the progress come together. On top of that, we helped file student clearance forms and other forms also arranging the 201 files—of course they oriented us about it, which gave us a sense of how important proper documentation is in school operations. I say “we” because I’ve been working with another intern from the Marketing Management (MM) program. We’ve gotten pretty close over the week, and it’s been nice having someone to share the workload and laughs with.

I also had the opportunity to assist at the receiving window—answering questions from students and handing out clearance forms. It was a great way to interact and improve my communication skills. Aside from those tasks, Ma’am Joyce once asked me to buy some snacks outside, and Ma’am Riza assigned me to go to the front desk to have a form signed by Ma’am Pamela, Sir Brogada, and even the Dean—it was quite a lot of signing, but I was glad to help. What made the experience even better was how kind and welcoming Ma’am Riza was. She sometimes gave us snacks and even allowed us to go outside for breaks. All in all, It has been a productive internship. 🌼

Last week of internship at PPPC 🍀🌼🌸

I'm feeling a mix of emotions. I'm happy that I’ve completed the 550 hours, but at the same time, I suddenly felt a bit emotional—not exactly sad, but I know I’m really going to miss the people in HR.

--->This week was quite eventful. I knew it was going to be my last week because I had counted my remaining hours and realized I could definitely complete them by grinding through the week. I was lucky—since there was training going on and I was assigned as an assistant, I got to come in early and even earned some overtime hours. Also, I was part of the table tennis committee because Ma’am Rizza assigned me there. Since it was the PPPC-Sor Olympics, there were games happening in the afternoon and the basketball awarding ceremony as well.

During the first days of the week, we had to clean up because of the Supervisors' Training. Ate Aly brought some things and I was there to help, and later that afternoon, Ate Salud asked me to accompany her to the training room to help count the coveralls or PPEs, then she even said we're gonna be back the other day in training room for our unfinished business because we're not done with the cover all, and after the task we disseminated those to the DCN department. I felt really lucky to be involved like that, not just sitting around. We had some great conversations too, and I was happy to share moments with them. I truly felt the connection I’ve built with the people here—and I know I’m really going to miss them.

That week was also Carmela Shane’s last, as she had already completed her 600 hours. She’s very diligent—she finished ahead of me, but that’s understandable since I had to excuse myself before for a school event. She deserved to finish first. She was a bit emotional too, and honestly, I’m really going to miss our talks and shared moments, even though they didn’t happen often because we were both busy with our tasks. I think I grew a little closer to her, especially since she also had a friend in the storeroom. On her last day, she suggested we take a group photo, and I’m really happy we did. I know the HRD team is going to miss her too.

On the final inter-department basketball game, Ma’am Lany asked me to perform a halftime show as an intermission. Even though I wasn’t prepared, I couldn’t say no—especially since it was my last week. So, I danced as she requested, and she really enjoyed it! She even posted it on Facebook. It was a fun and memorable moment that added to the great experience I had during my internship.

I’ve learned so much throughout this experience that it’s hard to pinpoint and list everything. What I can say is that being exposed to a different environment—not necessarily more complex, but definitely unfamiliar—challenged me in meaningful ways. It pushed me to grow and mature, both personally and professionally. I was given the opportunity to contribute, to help, and to truly show what I’m capable of outside the comfort zone of school. This experience of being OJT helped me discover more about myself and how I can adapt and thrive in a real workplace setting. I know that I sometimes struggle with being open and expressive when communicating with others. Being in a new and unfamiliar environment made me more cautious—I felt the need to protect my personal space and avoid getting affected by workplace negativity. But during my stay, Ma’am Lany gave me valuable feedback. She pointed out that I should try to be more assertive and visible so that others can recognize my potential. I took that feedback seriously because I realized it’s something I can work on. It’s not that I’m overly reserved—I’m just more action-oriented. I’m driven by my passion and my goals to be helpful, so sometimes I focus more on doing than speaking. Still, I appreciated what she said, and I’m grateful for the reminder to balance both action and presence. It’s something I know I can definitely improve on moving forward.

I’m truly grateful for all the learnings and the warm welcome I received as an intern. On my last day, we took a group photo because I wanted something to remember this experience by—something I could look back on with gratitude. My stay at PPPC has been truly meaningful. Everyone I worked with taught me something valuable, and I learned so much from them. They are all great people, and I’ll always appreciate their kindness and support. Before I left, they wished me good luck to my graduation, they gave me an ID lace and a t-shirt 🥹 and even encouraged me to apply for a position there, which meant a lot to me.

This week felt really fulfilling.

I’m satisfied with everything we did, especially because I know we did well—and I did well. Even though I was just one of the assistants assigned by Ma’am Lany to help Prof. Tessa, along with Ate Aly, I still got to learn so many things during the 2-day Supervisory Power Up Training.

I learned about leadership, the importance of proper communication, and how much impact comes from how we express ourselves—body language makes up 55%, tone of voice is 38%, and the words we use are only 7%. That really stuck with me. I also learned how silence can be powerful in leadership and communication. How important it is to write a good memo and different tools were also discussed and were used in the actual presentation like the Fishbone diagram and the 'why' method to determine cause and effect. The activities they did were very engaging, and even though we weren’t participants, being part of the behind-the-scenes made me appreciate the process more.

From cutting and making boxes, taping green and red polka dots, cleaning the training room, to preparing all the materials needed—every task felt meaningful. I enjoyed the whole process, and it was fulfilling to be involved. I really did my best, whether it was assisting with writing on the whiteboard or preparing the manila papers.

Im so glad to have come this far of my internship 😭—anyways.

Now that I feel like things are really going somewhere, I just remind myself to be patient and always do my best in everything I do. Tasks like preparing DTRs, photocopying important files, cut out something, (even creating a box from out of something) and typing documents on the computer have become part of my daily routine as an on-the-job trainee. It may seem simple, but I find myself wanting to learn more, which is why I make an effort to keep track of what I usually do.

Week 8: Reflections

This week was packed with tasks, especially handling paperwork related to daily time records (DTRs). My main responsibility was monitoring attendance, identifying late arrivals, and tracking employees who exceeded their 40-minute break limit, particularly those on shifting schedules.

Farewell to Sir Mat and Ma’am Caren

On Saturday, we had a brief meeting to bid farewell to Sir Mat, who resigned, and Ma’am Caren, who was reassigned to another department. As a team, we prepared short messages for them and planned an outing for the following Sunday**.

A Non-Stop Week

Since I worked on Saturday and attended the outing on Sunday, I practically had no break the entire week. The outing was a must-attend event, as everyone insisted I join. By Monday, I was back at my internship role, handling filing tasks. I sorted and punched documents for 201 files, including performance appraisal sheets and violation reports.

Orientation and Documentation

At times, Ate Ally assigned me data entry tasks, such as recording the exam scores of newly hired employees after their orientation exams to determine if they passed. I updated an Excel file prepared for these records. I also accompanied Ate Ally to the female locker area, where the monthly two-day orientation was conducted. Employees with March birthdays who had perfect attendance received a ₱500 incentive if they attended. My tasks included helping with snacks and listing attendees’ names, making the experience more engaging than my usual office duties. Ate gave me a peach mango pie after the orientation and Sir Buddy—they call him kuya "buddy"— treat me a sweet hot chocolate drink from the vending machine.

Inventory and those that are for Disposal

Another day, Ate Salud asked me to assist her in the training room, which also housed the stockroom for PPEs (coveralls used in production). We conducted an inventory check, counting used coveralls for disposal and returning to the admin office to sort the new PPEs for distribution. I listed employee names and categorized coveralls by size (small, medium, large). After completing the task, Ate Salud kindly gave me some snacks.

Others: ｡⁠◕⁠‿⁠◕⁠｡ ma'am Rizza gave me a task, to photocopy medical records of employees and Sir Kevin let me do some filing for the violation reports —a lot to file but I can definitely do it

If anyone’s looking for an intern with decent typing skills, a strong back (questionable yep), and the ability to remember things even before the actual employee does—I might just be up for sale! Week 6 was a rollercoaster of DTR calculations, last-minute reminders, resignations, and meetings, but hey, at least I’m still standing (barely). Let’s see what this week had!

After being gone for a week, coming back to work felt like starting all over again. Ate Des was on leave, so I had to take over all her tasks, specifically handling the DTR for all 14 departments. At first, I struggled to identify which records I had to complete first in each department, but I had to compute also the shift hours, check for tardiness and overbreaks, and verify everything before signing and receiving. It was a lot of work, but thanks to Ate Des’s prior guidance, I managed to do it properly. I spent three days catching up, along with other tasks like photocopying, stapling documents, and double-checking numerous overtime (OT) forms, which were quite confusing. By the time Ate Des returned, the DTR was almost done. She gave me a strawberry jam as pasalubong. 🥹🍓

I was relieved when she came back, especially because I remembered that every Monday, she uploads CocoSor’s biometric records in Outlook and PPPC’s in Teams. She had told me before, but she had forgotten until I reminded her—haha! Thankfully, I had recorded her explanation, so I listened to it to guide myself.

On top of that, a lot had changed while I was away. Ate Jas had officially resigned the same day my leave started, and now, Ate Caren and Sir Matt were also leaving. We had meetings about their resignations and task assignments, especially with the upcoming Sports Fest and ISO Audit. Since the HR team is already limited, we, the interns, will be helping out wherever we can.

This marks my fifth week of internship at Peter Paul Corporation. Being assigned to the HR department has given me valuable learning experiences and insights into the workplace. I’ve also grown closer to the HR team and have been entrusted with various tasks.

This week felt neutral—not particularly exciting but not gloomy either. I’ve come to realize that not every day will be energetic and smooth; some days may feel a bit dull, but work continues as usual. I’ve become accustomed to my daily tasks, which include managing the daily time records, monitoring late arrivals and overbreaks, filing documents, photocopying, and updating employees’ 201 files. However, when I don’t have tasks to work on or when I'm done with the tasks given to me, I sometimes feel bored or sleepy. Staying engaged can be a challenge when there’s nothing to keep me occupied. Sometimes, I start conversations about different topics, including my interests. My colleagues are engaging, and we often have interesting chats. There are moments when they learn something unexpected about me, and they say, "Oh, I didn’t know that about you!"

When I first arrived, I seemed very obedient and shy, but as time passed, they also saw my talkative and more expressive side. It’s nice to have these interactions and build connections in the workplace.

Since it has been raining constantly and I haven’t gotten my umbrella back from Ate MJ, I’ve been struggling with the cold weather. That’s why I always have to wear a jacket or a sweater to keep warm. However, I still end up running through the rain, which eventually led me to catch a cold. I started coughing, and I was worried it might get worse. There were times I arrived a little late—like 8:04 or 8:08—because of the bad weather.

Ma’am Rizza, the supervisor, sometimes assigns me tasks. She often asks if Ate Des has already given me something to do or if I’m available to input the employees' annual medical exam records. She also asked if I could handle the DTR (Daily Time Record) on my own. I just smiled and laughed a little because I feel like I still need more time and training to master it, with Ate Desiree’s guidance.

This time, I was a bit hesitant to bring it up, but I decided to ask anyway. I requested permission from Ma’am Milanny and Ma’am Rizza to be absent for a week to prepare for a big school event, as I am one of the performers. They approved my request and said it was okay, and I also mentioned that I would really make up for the missed days since my OJT is six days a week, including Saturdays since they said it’s okay if we don’t come in on Saturdays, but it’s also fine if we choose to work on those days.. I always try to work hard every day, so I appreciated their understanding. They even joked, "So that means you'll be staying longer here?" It made me wonder—were they happy about it? Even Ate Ally seemed amused!

By the way, Ma’am Milanny gave me a small tumbler as a token of appreciation. I remember she also applauded my intermission performance last time. I felt shy but really grateful for her kind gesture.

"Seeing your daily grind as an end in itself instead of just a means to your end." - it's from an article that I've red (⁠人⁠ ⁠•͈⁠ᴗ⁠•͈⁠) ---

This week at PPPC was all about preparation and surprises! Last week, I mentioned that we were gearing up for the upcoming Valentine’s Day event, and this week, I got to be hands-on with the planning and execution. One of my main tasks was assisting with event preparations. We were assigned different roles, and I was in charge of cutting printed materials to decorate our "FEB-IBIG Express" Freedom Wall—basically a space where anyone could post their thoughts or sweet messages. Designing it with colorful printed figures was unexpectedly fun, and I never thought I’d get to use my creative side like this during my internship—oh we also had photo booth by the way. I worked on this with Carmela Shane, an intern from Veritas who is also assigned to HR. Over time, we got to know each other better, which was really nice. I’d often ask if she needed help or just start random conversations, and it was great learning about her personality. We also helped Ma’am Lanny and Ma’am Rizza with various tasks. One of them was cleaning the projector screen in the locker area. Ma’am Lanny asked us to find alcohol to clean it, and I volunteered to go back to the office to get some rubbing alcohol. But… I made the mistake of forgetting to wear my ID. The security guard called me out, and I had to explain that I did have an ID—I just forgot to wear it after lunch. It was a bit embarrassing, but I took it as a lesson in being more responsible. Definitely won’t make that mistake again!

Aside from that, last time I helped Ate Salud put up reminders about the Free Eye Check-up for all PPPC employees, scheduled for February 13-14. Meanwhile, Ma’am Lanny invited vendors for the event, including a flower seller and M&M Creations, a team that makes digital art on wood—really cool stuff! Another fun task was printing and cutting large letters in Excel. Carms and I chatted and asked each other questions while working, which made the task more enjoyable. Since there was a program, the team suggested having an intermission number. That’s when things got interesting… they pointed at me and said I should dance! Apparently, they had never seen me perform, even though I had mentioned being a dancer. I felt shy and a bit pressured because, unlike in school where I dance with a troupe, this time I’d be performing alone. But hey, new experiences are part of growth, right?

When the eye check-up event arrived, Ate Des was super busy, so she left me in charge of monitoring late arrivals and over-breaks in the DTR system. Just when I was about to finish, I noticed the names had disappeared! I panicked, not knowing what I clicked. Luckily, Ate Jas saw me struggling and started laughing—it turned out the list was just filtered. That was a funny (but slightly stressful) moment, but I finished the task and arranged the papers properly. Furthermore, Ma’am Rizza assigned me to input the Daily Time Record (DTR) of doctors and physicians for November and December. She handed me a paper and told me to find a specific file. The problem? She had given me a completely different file name. I spent about 30 minutes scrolling through the system, getting more confused by the second. I even asked Ate Des for help, but she couldn’t find it either. Eventually, when I got the chance to ask Ma’am Rizza, she realized her mistake and admitted she had given me the wrong file name. That moment was both frustrating and funny—definitely an epic learning experience!

And after all our hard work, Ma’am Rizza treated us a Jollibee meal—free meals always make things better! And What's sweet was I also received some chocolates on Valentine's day from the HRD clerks and a handmade flower 🌻 really coolsome (cool & awesome)

This week was a mix of creativity, problem-solving, and stepping out of my comfort zone. I never expected preparing for a solo dance, work on creative tasks, and handle responsibilities on my own. Mistakes were made, but hey—that’s part of the learning experience, I guess that’s the beauty of an internship—you never know what you'll learn next!

Week 3 of my internship journey—time is flying! It’s been a routine, but still an exciting experience. Since it’s February, it’s all about pushing forward. A little more grind, and we’ll get there!

So what are the tasks I had during this week, what happened was yeah more and lots of papers as you can see I did file and arrange documents as well as finding also the 201 files of employees, I've been moving around accompanying the HRD clerks yeah because I asked them if they want help and yep they would gladly give me some and I will also gladly accept it —cause what else I'm gonna do huh—For the most part, I handled time monitoring, late monitoring, and tracking overbreaks. I also inputted violation reports—just the sentences that Ate Jas asked me to write. I also accompanied Ate Salud, one of the HRD clerks, and Sir Matt in disposing of some used materials from storage.We counted everything together, and oh, Carmela was with us too! She’s the other intern from Veritas.

One thing I really enjoyed was the training sessions. The funny part? When I finished all my assigned tasks and had nothing left to do, I noticed Ate Allysa going back and forth between the locker area and training room. Thinking I could help, I just kept smiling at her the whole time, hoping she’d notice me—and well, she did! She finally noticed me and said I could help her and Sir Math in the training room by assisting and handing out snacks.

I kept busy with that task and also learned a lot from the training. By the way, it was a refresher training for all employees to ensure quality assurance is maintained. I gained some valuable insights on food safety, food culture, and proper handling in a manufacturing company. The speaker was very entertaining and enthusiastic while presenting the slides, which made the training even more engaging. The speakers also are visitors from Manila and they expressed their appreciation for the training, which is just nice.

I’ve gotten used to being an intern, and I really felt like part of the HR team now.

I remember sir Anthony—who everyone calls "Kuya Toni"—telling me to observe him while he interviewed employees because he wanted me to try it myself. At first, I hesitated. I wasn’t sure if I could pull it off since I’d never done it before, and I felt a bit confused. But he reassured me, saying, “Just watch me, and you’ll get an idea.” I thought that was interesting and really wanted to try, but my mind was racing with questions—like, okay, what happens next? My thoughts were bubbling up non-stop, so I said, “Okay, for now, I’ll just observe and get an idea.”

Then, we also planned for the Feb-ibig celebration in honor of Happy Hearts Day! We discussed the materials needed and assigned tasks to everyone. It was raining for most days, and I forgot to bring an umbrella—partly because Ate MJ from accounting still hadn’t returned mine.

My second week as an intern felt like a whirlwind. Sometimes, I wish I could fast-forward through the 550 hours, but at the same time, I’m beginning to feel like a real working employee—though technically, I’m still a student-intern.

Photocopying 101

One of the first things I learned this week was how to use the photocopy machine. At first, I was confused since I wasn’t familiar with it, but Ate Desiree patiently guided me. Before I knew it—voilà! I could photocopy anything she asked me to.

At the end of the week, I experienced my first team meeting, which takes place every Saturday and is led by Ma’am Lanny, the manager. That day, I truly felt included and welcomed because the team properly introduced themselves to us. I wasn’t the only intern in the HR department—Carmela from Veritas College of Irosin was also there.

During the meeting, we were asked if we looked forward to working with them in the future. Of course, I said yes! It’s a great opportunity and a solid starting point for my career. However, I remembered that on my first day, Ate Des had asked me about my plans after this internship. At that time, I wasn’t sure how to answer because I felt pressured, so I just said that my sister was waiting for me in Manila. Later, Ate Des questioned why I answered "yes" to Ma’am Lanny when I had been uncertain before. I was caught off guard and didn't know how to respond. Despite that, the meeting was inspiring. The team shared their work experiences, challenges, and advice for us interns. They also discussed upcoming events, which made me excited for the weeks ahead.

Taking Tasks Seriously

I constantly reminded myself not to be wishy-washy with the tasks assigned to me. Whenever I was given work, I made sure to complete it as soon as possible—even when my eyes hurt from staring at the screen. My goal was to finish tasks efficiently rather than spend too much time on one thing.

The team even told me to slow down, joking that I might run out of things to do. But I always asked if I could help with something else. Ate Jas, thankfully, gave me tasks instead of letting me sit idle. She assigned me to input employees' names, check for recorded violations, staple documents, and file them. Ate Des also assigned me to monitor employee tardiness for January and organize Daily Time Records (DTRs) for all 14 departments—wow! I made sure to take notes on everything Ate Des told me, from what to do to what to avoid.

Little Moments That Made My Week.

One of the things I really enjoyed was our break time. That’s when we could talk freely, joke around, and bond with each other. It made the work environment more fun and comfortable. I also appreciated the small acts of kindness from my colleagues. Ate Des gave me biscuits (wowie!), and Sir Matt offered me 'pandesal'. That moment was funny because right after, he started talking about anime—our common interest—but we had to cut it short since Ma’am Rizza was watching. Still, we managed to talk about our favorite anime, which was really cool. Sir Anthony also kept the atmosphere light with his corny jokes. The others teased him about it, but I laughed anyway because their bond was just fun to witness.

Since Ate Jas had shown me around the previous days, Ma’am Rizza later asked me to deliver a document with a note to the QA office. She reminded me that I would be there for months, so I should start familiarizing myself with everything. It felt good to be entrusted with responsibilities. By the next few days, I felt like a pro at photocopying! I also checked employees' over-breaks, arranged documents by date, and continued my DTR tasks.

One of the highlights was going around the manufacturing plant with Ate Jas. She needed to open suggestion boxes in different departments and always asked me to join her. I loved these walks because I could ask her questions, and we would chat non-stop. It was cute how she explained everything to me.

That Saturday, I had to excused myself at noon for an important event, so I missed the team dinner Ma’am Lanny had suggested. It was disappointing because I really wanted to join, but hopefully, there will be another chance.

Second Team Meeting

This recent Saturday, we had another team meeting, separate from the first one I mentioned earlier. We watched a training session on the company’s Facebook page, which was really interesting. Ma’am Lanny then discussed the agenda, and I learned something valuable—that in HR, our customers are the employees. Because of this, we should always be approachable, accommodating, and professional. She also emphasized that HR is customer-service-oriented and that we need to be detail-oriented, results-driven, and data-focused. It was a great reminder of the importance of our role in the company.The team also discussed plans for February, and I got excited when the Sports Fest was mentioned! I can’t wait to see what’s in store.

Final Thoughts on Week 2

This week was a mix of learning, bonding, and new responsibilities. I felt more comfortable in my role, enjoyed getting to know my colleagues, and gained valuable insights from our meetings. I’m looking forward to what’s next!

After a week of my internship, I’ve started to settle into the routine of being an on-the-job trainee (OJT). The nervousness has faded, replaced by excitement and curiosity about my tasks. Meeting a few familiar faces from school and getting to know the people in the office made the adjustment easier.

I am assigned to the HR department, where I assist Sir Anthony, one of the HRD clerks, with the hiring process for applicants. Sir Anthony manages and interviews the candidates, while my role involves checking the applicants’ papers and ensuring everything is in order. I also assist those who need guidance, such as showing them where the application process is being held. I’ve been moving around a lot to help, based on instructions and requests, whether it’s about documents or helping applicants know what to do next.

One of my first tasks was to get snacks for the applicants being interviewed, which gave me the opportunity to tour the plant. The company is a coconut manufacturing business, and during the tour, I saw various offices, departments, the pantry, and the training room. Having two guides with me made the tour more enjoyable and insightful.

As I continued assisting in the HR department, I also worked closely with Ate Jas and Ate Desiree, who patiently taught me how to handle tasks like filing documents and managing the daily time record (DTR). Whenever I wasn’t sure about something, I would ask them questions to clarify or verify if I was doing things correctly. Their guidance has been invaluable as I navigate the processes of the department.

I was also assigned to help with employee performance appraisal sheets, inputting ratings and ensuring the data was accurate. While sitting for long periods made my back ache slightly due to my mild scoliosis, I appreciated staying busy and learning more about the work environment.

The camaraderie with my co-interns and colleagues has been a highlight of my experience so far. Although we are assigned to different departments, we often come together during lunch breaks, and the welcoming attitude of the staff in the canteen has brightened my days. Well, this first week of my internship has been a productive and fulfilling experience. I feel grateful for the opportunity to contribute and learn, especially with the support of Sir Anthony, Sir Matt, Ate Jasmine, Ate Desiree, and of course maam Riza and maam Milanny who have made my transition into this role smooth and enjoyable. Looking forward to more tasks and experience.