Perhaps this is similar to the trend where, in an increasing percentage of entry level jobs, a bachelor’s degree is now a common expectation or preference, even though the job requires neither something specifically taught nor the higher level thinking and work skills that completion of a bachelor’s degree is supposed to indicate.
Of course, the people who are already in those jobs and who already have licenses like it that way, since it creates a barrier to entry against additional competition.
Here’s the list of the 130 occupations requiring licensing in NY state. I’m surprised by how many of them are associated with horse racing. A jockey agent requires licensing? In contrast, anyone is allowed to breed.
Acupunturist
AEM Certified Planner
Aquatic Antifouling Paint Applicator
Architect
Armored Car Guard
Asbestos Handler
Athlete Agent
Audiologist
Barber
Blaster
Boiler Inspector
Bus Driver
Certified Athletic Trainer
Certified Behavior Analyst Assistants
Certified Dental Assistant
Certified Examiner - Bus Driver
Certified First Responder
Certified Milk Inspector
Certified Motor Vehicle Inspector
Certified Nurse Aide
Certified Public Accountant
Certified Shorthand Reporter
Certified Ultrasonic Technician
Chiropractor
Clinical Laboratory Technology
Commercial Pesticide Applicator/Technician
Cosmetologist, Natural Hairstylist, Esthetician, Nail Specialist, Waxing
Crane Operator
Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor
Credentialed Prevention Professional/Specialist
Dental Hygienist
Dentist
Dietitian-Nutritionist
Driving School Instructor
Racetrack Exercise Rider
Farrier
Funeral Director
Groom
Hazardous Materials Transporter
Hearing Aid Dispenser
Home Inspector
Horse Driver, Matinee Driver, Qualifier Driver, Provisional Driver
Horse Trainer, Assistant Trainer, Private Trainer
Insurance Adjuster, Independent
Insurance Adjuster, Public
Insurance Agent, Accident, Health, Life, Variable Life and Variable Annuities
Insurance Agent, Limited Motor Vehicle Rentals
Insurance Agent, Mortgage Guaranty
Insurance Agent, Property & Casualty
Insurance Agent, Service Contract Registrant
Insurance Broker, Accident, Health, Life, Variable Life and Variable Annuities
Insurance Broker, Life Settlement
Insurance Broker, Property & Casualty
Insurance Consultant, General
Insurance Consultant, Life
Interior Designer
Jockey Agent
Jockey (Apprentice, Amateur, Jockey)
Land Surveyor
Landscape Architect
Lawyer
Licensed Behavior Analyst
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Licensed Creative Arts Therapist
Licensed Master Social Worker
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Licensed Motor Vehicle Body Damage Estimator
Licensed Outdoor Guide
Licensed Practical Nurse
Licensed Psychoanalyst
Licensed Radiological Technologist: Radiographer; Radiation Therapist; Nuclear Medicine Technologist
Long Term Care Ombudsman
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Massage Therapist
Medical Physicist in Diagnostic Radiological Physics
Medical Physicist in Medical Health Physics
Medical Physicist in Medical Nuclear Physics
Medical Physicist in Therapeutic Radiological Physics or Radiation Oncology Physics
Midwife
Milk Gathering Plant Manager
Milk Laboratory Technician
Milk Receiver
Milk Tester
Mutuel Clerk
Nurse Practitioner
Nursing Home Administrator
Occupational Therapist
Occupational Therapist Assistant
Ophthalmic Dispenser
Optometrist
Perfusionist
Pharmacist
Physical Therapist
Physical Therapist Assistant
Physician
Physician Assistant
Podiatrist
Police Instructor
Polysomnographic Technologist
Private Investigator
Professional Engineer
Psychologist
Public Librarian
Public School Administrator
Public School Teacher
Race Official
Real Estate Appraiser
Real Estate Broker
Real Estate Salesperson
Registered Professional Nurse
Reinsurance Intermediary
Respiratory Therapist
Respiratory Therapy Technician
Security Guard
Security Guard Firearms Instructor
Security Guard Instructor
Security/Fire Alarm Installer
Security Officer, Peace Officer
Specialist Assistant (Acupuncture, Orthopedics, Radiology, or Urology)
Speech - Language Pathologist
Truck Driver, Heavy or Tractor Trailer
Vehicle Escort Driver
Veterinarian
Veterinary Technician
Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator
Water Operator
Water Well Contractor
Weighmaster
Welder
Workplace Safety and Loss Prevention Consultant
For some difficult-to-acquire licenses, I guess it could be used as a means by those who are “in” (i.e., who have already had the license) to keep others (who have not had the license yet) “out”, hopefully forever. Another form of the monopoly of the jobs in a certain career which requires a license is to raise the bar of entry to the career: by requiring more years of training or by making the licensure exam more difficult to pass, or making it more costly to receive the training required before taking the licensure exam. (e.g., a professional school/program costs much more to attend than the traditional academic school/program does.)
It could be advantageous to enter a career which requires a license to practice. Try to avoid a career for which the entry to that career has little barriers – e.g., a career which does not even require a college degree obtained in this country.
There’s another issue with medical practitioners (already licensed) needing advanced degrees to do just about anything. A doctoral degree for pharmacy, PT, nurse practitioner, etc? Why don’t the associated boards just beef up the requirements for a master’s degree? They’re competing with each other for prestige, that’s why.
Why is it a surprise some occupations want certification? You want your dentist to just claim a passion for teeth? A number of those positions are regulated industries and have been. Or require specific training, knowledge of laws, and proof you passed. You want to operate a crane, get licensed. Where’s the beef?
Taxi driver is a commonly licensed profession. But most places only allow a limited number of taxi driver licenses to protect incumbent license holders (who can sell or rent their licenses to others). So additional providers wanting to enter the market do so as non taxi services (e.g. Uber and Lyft).
I am surprised that tattoo artist isn’t on the list. They inject dyes into people’s skin. I have always been surprised about that one not being licensed.
In HI, licenses are REQUIRED for Tattoo artists, but that depends by state, it appears. Respiratory therapists and many of these other licenses are dependent upon state regulation, NOT federal, though there are federal tests that are available for many professions. In HI, we were just able to make licensing of RTs a permanent state requirement–prior to 2009, neither HI nor Alaska required licensing in this field, even though they are responsible for keeping your airway open in the hospital. After the governor signs our bill tomorrow, only Alaska will not require licensing of RTs.
In New York (but not all other states) vet techs are required to be licensed. I had a young employee who was taking her vet tech course work and I got a chance to look at her textbooks. HORRIFIED by the poor grammar and spelling in the textbook.
In Massachusetts, riding instructors need licenses. The hardest part of the test (for me, an experienced horse person and instructor) was finding the building in Boston to sit for the exam. That, and remembering that in Massachusetts, and only in Massachusetts, horses have a four-beat canter.
Some licensing may appear dumb, but others are there to help protect the public, a therapist who is licensed has shown they have the required credentials and also holds them to legal ethics of practice (if you have a license, you can loose it). A librarian works for the state, and the license can involve both knowledge of the job, and also again is a professional certification. A security firearms instructor is certified by the state, because they want to make sure the guy knows what he/she is doing, and also can be held liable if they violate the rules. Licensing helps protect the consumer, and also gives redress against bad ones. To sign off on plans, someone needs either to be a licensed architect or a certified professional engineer (a PE) in Civil engineering, would you want a building design signed off on by someone who is just some schnook that graduated with a degree in architecture? The reason licensing has increased is there are a lot of jobs out there that involve public safety and wellbeing, and licensing (in theory) helps protect that. Stores have to be licensed, and if they are a food establishment, generally have to go through a training program and are licensed to do so (or at least, someone who is licensed is supposed to be supervising food handling and prep). It allows for accountability and to be able to set standards licensed holders need to be aware of…and a lot of licenses require continuing education, often with updated safety and such.