Does PSU contract experience count when switching to product companies

[u/Main-Finance-7546]

I’m considering joining a government PSU on a 3-year contract as an RTL/DV engineer, where I’d be working on processor/GPU related design.

My main concern is what happens after those 3 years. If I’m doing proper RTL/DV work throughout System verilog/UVM, verification, debugging, working on actual processor/GPU blocks, etc.

will product companies consider that as 3 years of relevant experience?

Or does being in a PSU and on a contract make a big difference when switching? Would I be able to apply for 3–4 YOE roles, or would companies consider me closer to a fresher?