To be eligible for an air conditioning and refrigeration technician certification, an applicant must:
(1) be at least 18 years old;
(2) have completed:
(A) a certification training program; or
(B) 24 months of air conditioning and refrigeration-related work:
(i) under the supervision of a licensed air conditioning and refrigeration contractor; or
(ii) as part of the applicant's military occupational specialty within the armed forces of the United States; and
(3) have passed a competency examination administered, recognized, or accepted by the department.