After being in the workplace for a short time, one tends to find out what one wants to do specifically. Then is the time to get certified in the specific field that you have chosen, and these certification programs work well. They ensure that you are prepared for your specific field, and they give you the credentials that prove it. ASME should step up to the plate and take the lead in these specialized certification programs. Very shortly, the certified engineer could be the engineer of choice.
Laws can and do change to suit public opinion.
I had taken the fundamentals exam a couple of weeks after March graduation. I had the F.E. in hand upon starting work. This was fortunate, since I have not worked with, let alone under, another P.E. in the eight-plus years since. I see the availability of senior P.E.'s as a serious impediment to otherwise qualified people getting registered. I spent a summer's worth of night school on a P.E. review course.