Pest Control Trainee
Facility ServicesYou're learning to fight bugs for a living, and the training period is equal parts classroom chemistry and crawlspace horror movie. You'll shadow a licensed tech, learn to identify insects by sight (and sometimes by the screaming of the homeowner), and study for the state license exam that lets you legally spray things that kill other things. The good news: bugs are predictable. The bad news: the spaces you'll crawl into are not.
Salary Range
Low
$26k
Median
$29k
High
$32k
10-Year Growth
10%
US Workers
90K
Education
High school diploma + on-the-job training (studying for state license)
Environment
mixed
Tools & Technical Skills
- ▸Pest identification (insects, rodents, wildlife)
- ▸Basic chemical safety & handling
- ▸Equipment operation (sprayers, dusters)
- ▸State license exam preparation
- ▸Service documentation basics
People & Mindset Skills
- ▸Willingness to learn
- ▸Physical stamina
- ▸Reliability
- ▸Composure around pests
- ▸Following instructions
- ▸Customer service
Learn the skills
Courses and certifications to get you job-ready
Basic chemical safety & handling
What you'll actually do
- 01Shadow a licensed technician and learn what to spray, where to spray, and why
- 02Identify pests by sight — or by the client pointing and screaming
- 03Study for the state pest control license exam in your off hours
- 04Carry equipment and chemical tanks that make you feel like a one-person SWAT team
- 05Learn the difference between a German cockroach and an American cockroach (yes, it matters)
- 06Build up your tolerance for crawlspaces, attics, and things with too many legs
Related Shifts
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