Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, an applicant for a nongovernmental electrical inspector certificate shall meet the following minimum qualifications: complete an apprenticeship as an electrician; complete at least 5 years of documented progressive experience in the electrical trade; and pass a written examination administered by the State Fire Marshal. In lieu of the minimum eligibility requirements required in subsection (a)(1) and (2) of this section, the State Fire Marshal may adopt regulations that allow an applicant to substitute an electrical engineering degree or accumulated credits toward an electrical engineering degree in combination with education, training, and experience to meet the qualifications.