Exploring the Motivational and Preparatory Experiences of BSEE Graduates Pursuing the REE Examination Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

The licensure examination for Registered Electrical Engineers (REE) is inherently rigorous and became even more challenging during the COVID-19 pandemic.The repeated postponement of examination dates heightened stress and uncertainty among examinees.Despite these setbacks, the April 2022 REE examination was held as scheduled, offering a unique opportunity to explore the lived experiences of those who succeeded under such difficult conditions.This study aimed to investigate the experiences and challenges encountered by BSEE graduates who passed the April 2022 REE, with the goal of informing institutional stakeholders and supporting future examinees.Employing a basic qualitative research design, the study utilized nonprobability sampling to select 14 participants, all of whom were successful REE passers.Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed thematically using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach.Four major themes emerged from the analysis: (1) Positive attitude and hard workhighlighting the role of perseverance and mindset; (2) Uncertainty and disappointmentreflecting emotional distress due to repeated rescheduling; (3) Career growth and family upliftemphasizing the aspirational and motivational dimensions; and (4) Calculator use and content enhancementidentifying technical strategies that supported exam performance.The findings underscore the importance of fostering a positive and supportive learning environment, both from peers and faculty.Institutional support from the application phase through exam preparation was seen as crucial.Additionally, enhancing curricular content, integrating calculator techniques, and adopting effective teaching strategies for board exam subjects were recommended.These insights can inform policies and programs that support licensure examination candidates, and may serve as a source of motivation and guidance for students in similar fields.