Question about how long it REALLY takes to get licensed for a niche trade

I've been trying to get certified in geothermal heat pump installation for the last 8 months here in Minnesota, and the paperwork alone took me 7 weeks just to get approved for the exam. Then the practical test got delayed twice because the state's only evaluator was out sick. Has anyone else run into a certification process that dragged out way longer than the official timeline said it would? I'm curious if this is normal for weird trades or just my bad luck.

3 comments

3 Comments

nelson.vera19d ago

Honestly, that 'only evaluator was out sick' thing hit home for me. I was trying to get a simple HVAC ductwork cert a few years back in Ohio and the one guy who could sign off on the pressure test retired, and they didn't have a backup for like four months. I ended up just paying a guy from two counties over to drive out and do it, which cost me an extra 200 bucks and a whole Saturday. It's crazy how a single person can just stall everything for everyone.

emmam8919d ago

My buddy Dave ran into the same thing trying to get his commercial kitchen hood cert done in Cleveland last year. The only guy who could test the fire suppression system was on paternity leave for six weeks and they just left the position empty. Dave ended up having to drive three hours to Columbus to find a certified inspector who would come out, plus he had to pay for his gas and lunch on top of the fee. Total nightmare, cost him like $350 extra and he lost a whole day of work. @nelson.vera its wild how one person going MIA can just freeze everything.

claire87217d ago

Drove an hour to a guy in Toledo. Paid $150. Fixed it in one day.