A Good Kind of License

Missouri licenses all kinds of occupations, ranging from geologists to marital counselors. I’m not a fan of state licensure because it keeps out competition and makes professionals conform to bureaucratic standards. Fortunately, there’s a better kind of licensing out there — the kind offered by private organizations.

This is a great example from the Post-Dispatch: certified lactation consultants. You have to take a course and pass an exam to receive the certification from a non-profit board. This could be a useful credential for someone seeking employment in a hospital. At the same time, an experienced mom can be a consultant, too, without acquiring either this certification or a license from the state.