I want to be a Licensed Professional Engineer in British Columbia. I know my material. I have decades of experience in electronics and electrical. I need to write the test at the https://www.apeg.bc.ca/ . But I didnt get 4 years in University classroom, with government grants and un repaid loans. By the way 3 years of the 4 year B.A. is spent studing everything but the subject of study. So really they had high school plus 1 year of classroom schooling then they could write the test. I have 35 years experience starting with early childhood education kits and years of study into micro electronics and circuit board design. Which I had no government funding for, I paid with my wages for every book and had no assistant to help me learn. I learned to read the manual. Most mid level to senior engineers and techs, will agree over 70% of there skills were not taught to the in a classroom. 95% of the exceptional cases senior in engineering will tell you their valuable skills were not learned in a classroom. Most of the best high achievers studied like mad outside the educational system and exceeded all expectation. These are the ones who push us forward.For those who want to be always be learning to stay current. For those who seek to really advance things, there is engineering. Where real scientist work. Most computer, software , electronic, firmware engineers will tell you even after 10 years. 90% of there required skills were not learned in a classroom. So when you are looking for the person for the job, focus less on the accreditation and more on the skills they present. A 10 year old University degree means little. Our government need to raise to bar and increase the workload on students and teachers in their fields, curriculum need to increase relevant content and broaden the relevant field of knowledge. There are some shady courses in Canada which promise good educations, but offer skills which are equal to washing your car vs the full design capabilities. Let alone will it park itself. There is lots of knowledge in the library at any reputed University, you can quickly see there are 1000 lifetimes worth of periodical reading material. Certainly every University gets you out the door with a set a skills to keep you alive for a while. Entry level. Then you find out your required knowledge for the job. As you move around employment circle you will learn a wider variety of things. 10 years in you will reflect on your years at University as a great time. But we are no longer going to stay on top in the world. We need to reach higher. I begged for an education, I wanted text books for Christmas,chemistry and electronic kits, I was studing mechtronics with a chemistry twist in the 80's. I was almost banned due to controversy and the regional education system had no funding for enrichment programs at my age. My DOCUMENTS education suffered and as did my access to study materials. I am 40 with a dedicated 28 year olds education. I have lived to work in these fields and excel beyond expectations due to my high passion, focus , and lifestyle. I dont buy into any mandatory balanceing act. I am happy to do my work. On some all consuming projects I will work in excess of 100 hours a week. Reaching 110 hours for months on end. I take fields of study and run forward with them due to my diverse fields of knowledge, often fields such as chemisty are dismissed by electronic engineers, but it is the most important to the cutting edge. Mixing a vast blend of technologies, I find solutions to obsticles which decrease performance or break the project. Many people have walked from projects sighting them impossible yet I find ways to complete them, overcoming the last huddle of improbability. I learn the material a little more intensely, not to say details, but details of functionality. I see things missed and play with it to find these few added elements. These often prove to be the most priceless advantages in the industries...I have heard 1000000 times , I didnt know you could do that. People have being consulted be outside firms and government agencies to confirm my claims and assess the potential. Only to say its NOT possible to do that. Often unwilling to give my advantages away I continue without the support available. Only to find it really can be done as spelled out in the design overveiws... I have made mistakes,,,seldom on finished concept, often in rough work. It takes money to explore an idea. 90% accuracy on things which seem impossible..... Now I have gotten a University degree. I am not a P.Eng... I hold no designation or accreditation. 2 years ago I finished high school I was allowed to write tests for 10 days to prove my education. I went from a grade 9 grad to Grade 12 graduate. I wish I could find a place to let me do this for University Or P.Eng status. I have 35 years of work time left and pledge to work until I am 75. God willing. This should put me in line with a 30 year old grad who will have 35 years working