Engr. Dan Marvin Estrada Bejer exceeded his expectations when he nailed the exam in July of 2019, superseding the then modest goal of simply passing it.
“I did not expect it at all. What I was aiming and praying was to pass only the board exam, but it was indeed a huge blessing from the Lord,” Bejer said.
Much delighted, he recounted how a then typical student managed to become CTU’s firs placer in a licensure examination as he scored 80.40 percent—the highest among the 810 passers.
What made the feat more impressive was that Engr. Bejer did not enrol in a review center to prepare for the exam. He opted to ask for materials and references from his cousin, Engr. Jobe Bejer, who also passed the same examination in July 2018.
He was introduced by his cousin to Facebook group “Master Plumber Top Reviews (Vis-Min League)” where he met eventual mentors and fellow mechanical engineers who shared valuable knowledge, experiences and review materials.
“That was the time I started my review. I remembered, we were encouraged to read and comprehend the Revised National Plumbing Code of the Philippines 1999 five times as preparatory material to study the field of plumbing systems. Unfortunately, I was only able to read it once due to busy schedule at work,” he added.
Every after work, Engr. Bejer would use his spare time to study before hitting the bed. On weekends, he would go through different topics more than what he had read on working days.
“I also applied two days of vacation leaves prior to the examination day … to have enough time to relax and prepare,” he said.
He was well-prepared going into the exam but he admitted that he could have not done it without the support of his family. “I would say that the number one factor that made me pass the exam was my family who untiringly assisted and supported me all the way to my examination day.
Engr. Bejer faced a hectic schedule but his support system enabled him to get through.
“This situation was not the same when I took the Mechanical Engineer Licensure Exam, where all of my time and energy were dedicated to my review alone. I almost gave up on my goal but looking back to what I had sacrificed, it re-aligned my goal to take and pass the board exam,” added Engr. Bejer, who graduated in 2015.
As a way of giving back, Engr. Bejer is looking forward to helping future examinees whom he met in the Facebook group. He has also laid out his plans now that he is already a registered master plumber.
“I will apply my skills and knowledge as a Mechanical Engineer incorporating my skills as a Registered Master Plumber by doing designs, supervision in installation and maintenance of plumbing system not limited to sanitary and water distribution system. I will also be engaged in learning the designs and installation of fire protection system which is also a core trade of Mechanical Engineer and Master Plumber,” he said.
And for those who want to follow his footsteps, Engr. Bejer has this piece of advice. “If you have goals in life, plan and work on it no matter how difficult it may be. Make most out of your time and do not stop learning. One thing that I also learned from my experiences in life is that, do not rush things. Each of us has different timelines. If you fail today, consider it as a blessing because God prepares us for the best milestones of our lives.” /CTU Main UPO