the experience requirement isn't the only requirement, you have to go to accredited schools or write technical exams, and there is a law and ethics exam.
having an engineering licence is a min requirement for many jobs, not a foot in the door
I have separate licencing for my professional area (also operating) that was done entirely outside of school. You either need years of separate operating hours for that one too, or a combo of other things including a much higher passing grade on the four exams which are 3 hours each. I did that within 5 years of graduation and there is no way in hell I could have done that if I didn't have the flexibility of an entry level job. I could do shifts with operators to learn. Now I'm supposed to require my more senior staff to get them? Nah. I'll help them as much as I can, but I'm not holding them to that impossible requirement.