Re: I gave up on the chartered route
I'm not familiar with the specifics of licensing in other jurisdictions, was certainly aware of some curious anomalies in my own.
I knew someone who was completing a PhD in Electrical engineering, but whose undergraduate degree was in physics. He made some inquiries to find out what he would have to do to become a licensed engineer. Among other things, he was told that he needed a course in fluid mechanics (an unusual requirement for EE students) and that his two term course in differential equations taught by the Math faculty was not accepted as equivalent to the specified one term EE course on the same subject.
Theoretically, to get around the requirement for an undergraduate engineering degree, you were able to write an examination, but this was was made very difficult. I recall talking to the professor who set the questions for the chemical engineering examination; he told me that his students wouldn't have a hope of passing it - give them 4 hours and open book, and they might have a chance.
I'm somewhat inclined to think that the system was set up more to restrict competition than protect the public.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
