Is it possible to start in wastewater prior to obtaining certification? I only ask because I have been interested in this career for roughly a year, but I've been waiting for the only school near me to re-open their program. Right now they don't have a certified instructor, so they can't say when they'll have the class again. Any other options in my state are 2+ hours away from me and I just can't make that work, especially when I'm not already hired to work in the field.
I have seen a job posting or two say that they will hire you so long as you can get your certification within the first year (or 6 months), but is that common? I'm sure it would be better to come in already certified but I'm not willing to wait another year for this class. But if I get hired, I could justify going to one of the classes further away. Any advice would be helpful, I'm located in NC