Education · 1 of 5

The path

Hired first, trained second. You earn from week one.

1. 1

   High school diploma

   Grade 12

   A diploma or an equivalency is what most companies ask for, plus a clean driving record.

2. 2

   Get hired as a trainee

   Weeks

   Large national companies and local firms both hire with no experience. Expect a background check and a drug test.

3. 3

   Company and state training

   Weeks to a year

   Classroom hours on pesticide safety, labels, pests and the law, plus supervised work in the field. This runs from a few weeks to a year depending on the state.

4. 4

   Pass the state exams

   One sitting each

   A core exam on safety and law, then a category exam for the work you do, for example structural, termite or ornamental and turf.

5. 5

   Work your own route

   Year 1 to 2

   Once certified you run jobs alone, sign off on treatments and train the next new hire.