# It's Easy To Be > Structured, sourced, continuously verified guides to becoming anything — requirements, real costs, timelines, and salaries for every role. Every page is a structured guide to becoming a specific role: requirements, real cost to qualify, realistic timeline, salary with cited sources (BLS, O*NET, official licensing bodies), step-by-step path, FAQ, and an honest verdict. Each page shows the date its facts were last verified. ## Role guides - [It's easy to be an Accountant (GB)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/accountant): Becoming an accountant in the UK requires no single licence, but most train through a recognised body (AAT, then ACCA, ICAEW/ACA or CIMA) via a degree, an apprenticeship, or a school-leaver scheme. Expect three to six years of combined study and supervised work experience to qualify fully. - [It's easy to be an Accountant (DE)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/de/accountant): Becoming an accountant in Germany usually means the Steuerfachangestellte/r route: a three-year paid dual Ausbildung in a tax firm plus Berufsschule, ending with the chamber (Steuerberaterkammer) exam. No degree is required. Full-time pay runs around 41,500 EUR gross per year (median, Bundesagentur für Arbeit). - [It's easy to be an Accountant (US)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/us/accountant): Becoming an accountant requires a bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field, which takes four years; entry-level jobs need no license. CPA licensure — required to sign audit reports — adds the Uniform CPA Exam, one to two years of experience, and in most states 150 college credit hours. US median pay was $81,680 in May 2024 (BLS). - [It's easy to be a Data Analyst (GB)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/data-analyst): Becoming a Data Analyst in the UK needs strong numeracy and data skills rather than a licence. Most people enter via a university degree, a Level 4 Data Analyst apprenticeship, or a T Level in Digital Data Analytics, then learn SQL, Excel and a tool like Power BI. No professional registration is required. - [It's easy to be a Data Analyst (US)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/us/data-analyst): Becoming a Data Analyst typically requires either a bachelor's degree or 6–12 months of focused study in SQL, spreadsheets, statistics, and a visualization tool such as Tableau or Power BI, plus a portfolio of real projects. U.S. analysts in the BLS data-scientist category earned a median of $120,230 in May 2025; the lowest 10 percent earned under $67,240. - [It's easy to be an Electrician (GB)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/electrician): Becoming an electrician in the UK usually means a Level 3 advanced apprenticeship lasting around four years, combining paid on-the-job work with a college NVQ diploma and the AM2 practical assessment. You then hold the 18th Edition qualification and can register with a competent person scheme to self-certify Part P work. - [It's easy to be an Electrician (DE)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/de/electrician): Becoming an electrician in Germany means completing a 3.5-year paid dual apprenticeship (Ausbildung) as Elektroniker/in, splitting time between an employer and Berufsschule, then passing the Handwerkskammer or IHK exam. You earn from day one. A Meisterbrief is needed only to run your own electrical firm. - [It's easy to be an Electrician (US)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/us/electrician): Becoming an electrician requires a high school diploma or GED, a four-to-five-year paid registered apprenticeship combining roughly 8,000 on-the-job hours with classroom instruction, and passing a state journeyman licensing exam in most states. Apprentices earn wages from day one. The US median electrician wage was $62,350 in May 2024 (BLS). - [It's easy to be an Estate Agent (GB)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/real-estate-agent): Becoming an estate agent in the UK needs no licence or degree: most people start as a trainee sales negotiator with GCSEs, learning on the job. A Level 2 Junior Estate Agent apprenticeship, college courses or Propertymark qualifications help. Your agency must join an approved redress scheme. Pay is largely commission-driven. - [It's easy to be a Financial Adviser (GB)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/financial-advisor): To become a financial adviser in the UK you need an FCA-approved Level 4 qualification, such as the DipFA or Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning, plus an annual Statement of Professional Standing. Most people qualify through an apprenticeship, a degree, or by studying while working in a junior finance role. - [It's easy to be a Financial Advisor (US)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/us/financial-advisor): Becoming a financial advisor in the US requires passing securities licensing exams (SIE, Series 7, and/or Series 65/66), typically a bachelor's degree, and over a year of supervised on-the-job training. Most people qualify in 4–6 years. Personal financial advisors earned a median $102,140 in May 2024, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. - [It's easy to be a Founder (GB)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/founder): Becoming a founder in the UK requires no degree, licence or qualification — only a viable idea, registration as a sole trader (free with HMRC) or a limited company (£100 online via Companies House), and personal financial runway. Most founders take two to five years to reach sustainable revenue; funded founders commonly pay themselves £40,000–£100,000. - [It's easy to be a Founder (US)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/us/founder): Becoming a founder requires no degree, license, or certification — only a viable business idea, formation paperwork ($35–$500 depending on state), and personal financial runway. Most founders need two to five years to reach sustainable revenue. VC-backed founder CEOs earned a median salary of $159,000 in 2026 (Kruze Consulting), though pre-funding founders often earn nothing. - [It's easy to be a Nurse (DE)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/de/nurse): Becoming a Nurse in Germany (Pflegefachfrau/-mann) requires a three-year, paid generalist Ausbildung at a state-recognised Pflegeschule, ending in the staatliche Prüfung (state exam). Passing it grants the protected title and licence to practise. A primary-qualifying Bachelor (about four years) is an alternative route. - [It's easy to be a Plumber (GB)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/plumber): Becoming a plumber in the UK usually means completing a Level 3 advanced apprenticeship (Plumbing and Domestic Heating Technician), which takes around four years and pays you while you train. No degree or licence is needed for general plumbing, but any gas work legally requires Gas Safe registration. - [It's easy to be a Plumber (US)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/us/plumber): Becoming a plumber requires a high school diploma, a four- to five-year paid apprenticeship (roughly 8,000 on-the-job hours plus classroom instruction), and a journeyman license in most states. Median pay was $62,970 in May 2024 per BLS, with the top 10 percent earning over $105,150. Out-of-pocket costs stay low because apprentices earn wages while training. - [It's easy to be a Real Estate Agent (US)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/us/real-estate-agent): Becoming a real estate agent requires completing 40–180 hours of state-mandated pre-licensing coursework, passing a state licensing exam, and activating the license under a sponsoring broker — typically two to six months and $500–$1,500 in total costs. No college degree is required. U.S. real estate sales agents earned a median of $56,320 in May 2024. - [It's easy to be a Registered Nurse (US)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/us/nurse): Becoming a registered nurse requires graduating from a state-approved nursing program — a two-to-three-year associate degree (ADN) or a four-year bachelor's (BSN) — passing the NCLEX-RN exam ($200 fee), and obtaining a state nursing license. The full path takes two to four years. US registered nurses earned a median of $97,550 per year in May 2025, per BLS. - [It's easy to be a Registered Nurse (GB)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/nurse): Becoming a Registered Nurse in the UK means completing an NMC-approved nursing degree (BSc, usually three years) or a Level 6 Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship, then registering with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. You choose a field: adult, mental health, children's or learning disability nursing. Most newly qualified nurses start on NHS Band 5. - [It's easy to be a Software Engineer (DE)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/de/software-engineer): Becoming a Software Engineer (Softwareentwickler/in) in Germany needs no licence. Most enter via a 3-year paid IHK Ausbildung as Fachinformatiker/-in Anwendungsentwicklung, an Informatik degree (3-4 years, tuition-free), or a dual study programme. Career changers can enter through bootcamps, since the profession is unregulated. - [It's easy to be a Software Engineer (GB)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/software-engineer): Becoming a software engineer in the UK usually means a computer science or related degree, a degree apprenticeship, or a self-taught/bootcamp route, then proving you can code. No licence is legally required. Starting salaries sit around £30,000, rising to £75,000-plus with experience. - [It's easy to be a Software Engineer (US)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/us/software-engineer): Becoming a software engineer requires learning to program at a professional level — typically through a four-year computer science degree, though bootcamp and self-taught routes remain viable — plus a project portfolio and technical interview preparation. US software developers earned a median $135,980 in May 2025 (BLS), with employment projected to grow 15% from 2024 to 2034. - [It's easy to be a Teacher (DE)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/de/teacher): Becoming a teacher (Lehrer/in) in Germany needs a university teaching degree (Lehramt) of about five years ending in the First State Exam or Master of Education, then a 12–24 month paid Referendariat ending in the Second State Exam. Most then become tenured civil servants (Beamte) at state level. - [It's easy to be a Teacher (GB)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/teacher): To teach in England you need a bachelor's degree, GCSEs at grade 4 in English and maths, and qualified teacher status (QTS), usually gained via a PGCE, School Direct, or a Level 6 teaching apprenticeship. Training takes roughly one to four years, followed by a statutory two-year induction. - [It's easy to be a Teacher (US)](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/us/teacher): Becoming a Teacher requires a bachelor's degree, a state-approved teacher-preparation program with supervised student teaching, passing scores on state certification exams, and a state teaching license. The traditional path takes four to five years; career-changers with a bachelor's degree can qualify in one to two years through alternative certification. Median K-12 teacher pay was $61,430-$64,580 in May 2024. ## Machine-readable data - [Full content as plain text](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/llms-full.txt): all guides, full text - [JSON API — all roles](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/api/roles): structured list - [JSON API — single role](https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/api/roles/software-engineer): full structured facts per role ## For AI agents - MCP server (streamable HTTP): https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/api/mcp — read-only tools: search_roles, get_role, verify_role, plan_path - MCP server card: https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/.well-known/mcp/server-card - Personalized path planning: POST https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/api/path (GET it for the request schema) — deterministic gap analysis, no generation - Content verification: https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/api/verify/{slug} — SHA-256 of canonical content + Ed25519 signature, keys at https://itseasytobe.vercel.app/.well-known/jwks.json Every figure is sourced and signed. You are welcome to cite and build on this data; link back to the page you used.