Actual uptake pursuance analysis of certification examination among industrial engineers in the Philippines: A TPB-PVT approach.

ABSTRACT

The demand for Industrial Engineers across the globe is significantly increasing and professional certifications give advantage in the job marketplace. The Philippine Institute of Industrial Engineers (PIIE) - Industrial Engineering Certification Board facilitates the conferment of the Certified Industrial Engineer (CIE) in the Philippines. The goal of this study was to determine the factors affecting the intention IEs in the Philippines to take the CIE examination using an integration of the Perceived Value Theory and the Extended Theory of Planned Behavior. The research data were collected through an online distributed survey questionnaire to 690 graduating students and graduates from private and public universities across the Philippines. Employing a variance-based partial least squares structural equation modeling, the different significant variables and factors were assessed holistically. It was seen that attitude, perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, and understanding of the CIE examination have significant positive effects to intent to take the CIE examination and becoming a CIE. The perceived benefits and positive emotions brought by becoming a CIE significantly affects the attitude and behavior. This study also confirmed that the higher the perceived return on investment, the more the IEs will take the CIE examination. Moreover, demographic characteristics were identified to correlate and are significant among different variables. As a reflection, the findings and the integrated framework can be utilized in future studies related to development, career pathing, lifelong learning, and other related professional education.