Graduating as a mechanical engineer raises questions about the necessity of programming skills, particularly in C. While some argue that C is not commonly used in mechanical engineering, others highlight its importance in various engineering fields, including electrical engineering, where it is utilized for hardware testing. MATLAB emerges as a favored software in mechanical engineering, often preferred over alternatives like Maple or Mathematica for simulations. The discussion emphasizes that programming experience is valuable, regardless of the specific language, and suggests that familiarity with C could be beneficial due to its foundational role in many programming languages. Ultimately, the decision to learn C should consider personal interest and the relevance of programming skills in future career opportunities.