It shall be unlawful for any person to represent himself or herself as a registered environmental health specialist without being duly certified and the holder of a currently valid certificate issued by the department. An individual holding a certificate of registration as a registered environmental health specialist on December 1, 2008, shall be deemed to be certified as a registered environmental health specialist on such date. An individual holding a certificate of registration as a trainee on December 1, 2008, shall be deemed to be certified as a provisional environmental health specialist on such date.