Professional Certifications: Give Up or Maintain in Retirement?

[Joggernot]

PE-Quality: placed in inactive status after two years
CQE: placed in retired status after one year
Various Microsoft Certifications: allowed to lapse as they came up

None were useful in retirement. Bought a fishing license instead. Renewed yearly.

 

[Jpblondh]

P.D.

I keep my pharmacist license up to date. I am 69 and would like to go back to work at least part time. In Maryland the cost is $175.00 q 2 years and it only requires 30 hours of continuing education. I miss the educational value and the cerebral stimulation of being around younger individuals. It’s the marriage license that sometimes I have to pause to think about.

 

[Winemaker]

In order to keep my PA and WV Mine Foremans certification, I have to go to refresher class every two years, it's been since 2013 since my last class. I don't plan on taking the classes ever, as I don't ever plan on going underground again, until the Big Sleep. I'm pretty sure my licenses to use explosives are still current, but I don't plan on using them either.

 

[bigadventure]

My husband, who will soon turn 83, has maintained his license. It has been useful for family members how have had construction/property development projects. Once a bank needed a document stamped.

His license was just renewed, DH says for the last time. He will be 85'ish at that point.

Good grief, let it go.

 

[psweath]

Give 'em up, unless you suffer from PIP (Previously Important Person) syndrome.

 

[Chapter 3]

Been RE for just over 2 years. Renewed Civil PE last year just in case, although I doubt I will need it again. Will look into retirement status next year when renewal comes again. Also had Project Management Professional (PMP) certification that I let expire due to ongoing education requirements, and honestly it was not that tough to get.

 

[Huston55]

I keep my pharmacist license up to date. I am 69 and would like to go back to work at least part time. In Maryland the cost is $175.00 q 2 years and it only requires 30 hours of continuing education. I miss the educational value and the cerebral stimulation of being around younger individuals. It’s the marriage license that sometimes I have to pause to think about.

Well, perhaps the marriage license requires too much Continuing Ed for you. [emoji6]

 

[Speculator]

I plan on keeping my independent clinical social work license active until I die. This way, if things "hit the fan" in the future, I'll be able to continue to earn a living, regardless of how old I am.

 

[RobotMom]

I don't have a professional license but I do have a security clearance. I plan to let that bad boy go after I retire. Over my career, I have felt that the clearance process has gotten more and more intrusive and I am completely over it. They can take their clearance and shove it after I'm finished working!

 

[gooddog]

I don't have a professional license but I do have a security clearance. I plan to let that bad boy go after I retire. Over my career, I have felt that the clearance process has gotten more and more intrusive and I am completely over it. They can take their clearance and shove it after I'm finished working!

It may be worth keeping the security clearance - wish I had kept mine. Let my professional licenses go, as that is something that could be fixed with my $$. The security clearance is their $$, and therefore harder to reestablish.



JMHO..

 

[RobotMom]

It may be worth keeping the security clearance - wish I had kept mine. Let my professional licenses go, as that is something that could be fixed with my $$. The security clearance is their $$, and therefore harder to reestablish.



JMHO..

I know you're right. But I have this vision of the scene on the old movie Network where I just go on a rant and tell the government to take their clearance and shove it. But, you're right, I should maintain it in case I ever need to go back with my tail between my legs and ask for a j*b.

 

[USGrant1962]

I know you're right. But I have this vision of the scene on the old movie Network where I just go on a rant and tell the government to take their clearance and shove it. But, you're right, I should maintain it in case I ever need to go back with my tail between my legs and ask for a j*b.

How does one keep a clearance without a current need for it? I've had mine cancelled three times over my career simply because I left the project/job that required it. Are some agencies particularly lax?

 

[Katiek]

Not retired yet, but I let one license from a prior career lapse through ignorance and inaction. I had it on "inactive" status for some time, but apparently they changed the requirements somewhere along the line and I missed the message. It was involuntarily lapsed, and even though I never needed it and wouldn't have kept up with any continuing ed requirements, I would have rather resigned voluntarily.


I have a different license now in a couple of states. I will try to resign the license in all but my home state when I retire. In my home state I will keep it as "retired" for at least a few years until I'm sure I won't need it again.

 

[RobotMom]

How does one keep a clearance without a current need for it? I've had mine cancelled three times over my career simply because I left the project/job that required it. Are some agencies particularly lax?

That's a good question. I guess I would maintain mine be signing on as a consultant for the company I currently work. They would then hold my clearance. But you definitely need someone to hold your clearance in order to maintain it.

 

[Vinnygret]

Just curious what you did if you had some type of professional certification or license, what did you do after retirement? Let it go, keep it current, other?


I am an engineer and had my Professional Engineer (P.E.) license for almost the whole time I was working. Took (and passed) the test as soon as I could once I started working. Never needed it as a strict job requirement, but it was good brownie points on the resume. I let it lapse once I retired. It was $150 every 2 years, and with no plans to need it for work it was no longer justified expense.

I let mine go. I had a license for the State of MD that renewed every two years for around $160. I also had to maintain a professional certificate for the Professional Association. I don't remember what that cost. When working, sometimes these fees were covered by an employer. But in addition to the fees, I was required to take professional development courses that cost a pretty penny. Plus the paperwork of making sure all required areas were addressed. So, I let it all go. Not sorry.

 

[kcowan]

My PE (P Eng) offered a retired rate so I kept it because I could switch to active anytime.

Gave it up after 5 years. Threw away the certificate too!

 

[EastWest Gal]

I renewed my license as retired. My board certification is halfway through, so I'll continue that for a few years.

Downsizing question-my certifications. They are all in frames. I'm scanning them and donating the frames. I haven't had an office for hanging them since 2007.

 

[RetMD21]

I renewed my license as retired. My board certification is halfway through, so I'll continue that for a few years.

Downsizing question-my certifications. They are all in frames. I'm scanning them and donating the frames. I haven't had an office for hanging them since 2007.

I have to keep an active license to prescribe which I find handy. I also scanned and donated the frames

 

[Gumby]

I renewed my license as retired. My board certification is halfway through, so I'll continue that for a few years.

Downsizing question-my certifications. They are all in frames. I'm scanning them and donating the frames. I haven't had an office for hanging them since 2007.

The whole time I was working, I never hung any of my degrees or bar admission certificates on my office walls. They are in the attic somewhere, I think.

 

[mickeyd]

I keep many of my diplomas and certification docs on the wall of my retirement office. No one sees them but me and DW, oh, and the housekeeper who dusts them weekly. I dropped them asap since it costs $$ to continue to be active.