You won't need a license to become a plumber in Texas!

[dfrecore]

Some licenses are necessary and others aren't. I believe several states are looking at dropping the licensing requirements for hair braiders since they don't work with chemicals. When one Texas legislator suggested getting rid of the cosmetology and barber licenses altogether, and most Texans thought it was a stupid idea. Fortunately, that didn't go anywhere. From what I've gathered so far, Texans are not happy about the plumbing license going away temporarily.

I'm sure most people wouldn't want unlicensed physicians, nurses, and psychologists. Where there aren't licensing requirements, there are usually certification boards that dominate the market and are often more restrictive than the government. For example, it was nearly impossible to work as a behavior analyst without certification even though most states didn't require it. The prevalence of employers requiring the certification prompted states to create a license that requires the certification. Currently, most states don't license genetic counselors, but it's nearly impossible to get a job without a certification that requires a master's degree with programmatic accreditation. Both of the certifications I mentioned have been progressively increasing standards.

That's the thing - when the government stays out of stuff, someone will step up to the plate in many instances.  You don't need a government cert if a private board is out there doing their thing.  And probably doing a better job.

If the government decided to step in and get into some sort of IT cert, how stupid would that be? They don't need to get involved, because private companies are there to do it instead.  Government doesn't have to do EVERYTHING, sometimes less is more.

Sometimes, the private sector steps in. Certification boards only step in when they know they can make money and/or they want to limit the number of people in an occupation to keep wages high. You said that licensing is a barrier to entry, but certifications are just as much of a barrier. One is not more of a barrier simply because it's run by the government. 

Private certification boards actually don't do a better job. One of the most popular forensic science certifications was known for being a mill. People were able to get their dogs certified. People were using this certification to become expert witnesses in areas they had little knowledge of. After many articles about the incompetence of expert witnesses and innocent people being convicted and even put to death, Texas finally stepped in and started requiring a license and certain education requirements for forensic analysts. 

The goal of many certification boards is to become a requirement by government agencies. ABGC's requirements for genetic counselors are pretty ridiculous, and most people would have to move far just to attend an accredited program. ABGC started out as only certification, but they now accredit programs and require their accreditation for certification. They're overtaking their competitor with more reasonable requirements. As more states look into licensing genetic counselors, ABGC certification will most likely be required, and they'll further solidify their monopoly. They're going to make millions off accreditation and certification fees.

I didn't say that private boards are guaranteed to be better, only that they are also an option and that the government doesn't have to do everything.  They have their place.