Do you want job security in the age of AI? Get a state license – any state license

When I was in college and didn’t know what to do with my life, my dad gave me this career advice: Become an accountant. Why?

“Because,” he said. “People will always need to do their taxes. They will always need financial advice. With a CPA license, you can always hang a shingle and put food on the table.”

It was good advice, and it’s still relevant today. It’s so relevant that it’s the same advice I gave my children when they reached the same age and were equally uncertain about their future. They don’t have to become CPAs (one did). But they should become state-certified professionals. It’s the best job security ever.

State licensing authorities have been under scrutiny this year. A Cato Institute report accuses these bodies of excessively expanding their power, and there are initiatives this year to limit their power. Some of these arguments are not without merit. And I’m sure the system can be refined in various ways. In the meantime, my advice remains the same:…