Editorial standards
How TradeCert researches and reviews its work
TradeCert publishes independent career reporting and explanatory articles about skilled trades. Occupational licensing is fragmented and changes frequently, so state-specific claims require a higher standard than general career commentary.
Source hierarchy
- State statutes, administrative codes, licensing-board pages, and official application packets.
- Federal agencies, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor, and Environmental Protection Agency.
- Registered apprenticeship databases and official union or training-program materials.
- Reputable secondary sources only for context, never as the sole authority for a licensing requirement.
What a reviewed licensing page must contain
- Direct citations beside material claims about eligibility, fees, examinations, renewal, and reciprocity.
- A clear distinction between statewide licensing, municipal licensing, certification, registration, and contractor licensing.
- The date each cited source was checked—not a mechanically refreshed sitewide date.
- No assumed apprentice, journeyman, master, or contractor ladder where the jurisdiction does not use it.
- A final human review for contradictions, template artifacts, and unsupported conclusions.
AI and automation
Software may assist with formatting, comparison, and error detection. It is not accepted as a source. A human editor is responsible for checking material factual claims against the cited primary source before publication.
Corrections and dates
Dates are changed only when the page itself or its underlying sources are reviewed. Corrections that materially change a reader’s decision are recorded on the corrections page. Readers can report an issue through the contact page.
Advertising independence
Advertising and job-listing partners do not determine editorial conclusions or page inclusion. Third-party listings are labeled and are not evidence for licensing requirements, wages, or career demand.