By Christina Couch
The 21st century has awakened our sense of preparedness and pushed us to expect the unexpected - 9/11, the Tsunami, and Hurricane Katrina, to name a few. The demand for professionals well trained in emergency disaster preparation is greater than ever. It's not surprising then that occupations virtually nonexistent just 10 years ago, are now at the forefront of the job market.
"September 11, [2001] in and of itself was a focal point… a changing point," explains Dr. Robert A. Cherry, M.D., program chair for Penn State University's Homeland Security and Public Health Preparedness degree, which launched this past fall. "We realized there are disasters that can occur on our own soil that we're not prepared for. When you see that – when you see the response to Hurricane Katrina – you know that there's a need for leadership in this area."
Do you think you have that special make-a-difference ability? If so, learn more about seven professions in high demand as a direct result of recent national and international events.
1. Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) - When catastrophe strikes, life-saving EMTs are the first at the scene, dispensing pre-hospital medical care to victims of both catastrophic disasters and everyday accidents. As first responders, EMTs work hand-in-hand with police, firefighters, and sometimes-military personnel to help contain and remedy emergency situations before they escalate.
According to Gregg Margolis, associate director of the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, the field encompasses more than 860,000 workers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that this profession will grow between 21 and 35 percent in the next decade.
However, this profession's growth doesn't depend solely on large-scale misfortune. "[There's] a common misconception that emergency medical services means constant exposure to very big incidents," Margolis states. "Those things don't happen that frequently, thank goodness, but when they do, EMS is there."
To get started in your next career, call your state’s department of health to find out where you can obtain your First Responder or Emergency Medical Technician certificate. Usually training is done through a local college or hospital, and certification programs can last anywhere from 100 to 150 hours of classroom and field study. After learning about how to stabilize, treat, and transport patients in the classroom, future EMTs typically spend time observing other first responders in action before jumping into the field.
2. Recovery/Business Continuity Planner - Dealing strictly in the fiscal end of disaster relief, recovery planners help protect and prepare businesses for natural and man-made disasters. Whether it's analyzing a company's at-risk areas, creating a corporate back-up plan, or organizing a way to salvage the remnants after a tragedy, recovery planners find positions working in both the technical and executive ends of private and public organizations.
According to Dr. Walter G. Green, III, associate professor of emergency management at the University of Richmond, their new crop of students won't have any problems finding a job. "We deal with a lot of people who are looking into changing career or those who want to develop expertise in the field," he states.
Green also says that recovery-planning certification is designed as an additional credential for professionals who already work in the fields of emergency management or business continuity. While no prior degrees are required to enter a recovery planning certificate program, individuals should already have a solid understanding of business continuity principles and currently be working in the field.
3. Intelligence Analyst - The FBI's massive hiring campaign for intelligence analysts comes as no surprise to Colonel Mike McDaniel. As Homeland Security advisor for the state of Michigan, Colonel McDaniel deals directly with the growing need for those well versed in the actions and motivations of our enemies.
Intelligence analysts operate as the heart of the Department of Homeland Security, working day and night to predict and prevent an attack. The field has exploded since September 2001 with qualified analysts finding more job offers than they can accept on state and national level. Between now and 2009, the National Security Administration alone will hire more than 7,300 analysts. Though no specific degree is required to obtain an intelligence analyst job, a bachelor’s degree in a critical thinking-intensive subject such as political science, history, math or computer science, or previous experience in investigative work is a must. Fluency in at least one foreign language is preferred.
"The DHS [Department of Homeland Security] is requiring all states to have a state-wide information sharing system," McDaniel reports. "There's going to be a huge need for intelligence analysts." Restructuring state communications systems means an upcoming job boom in every corner of the country.
4. Cybersecurity Technicians - "We created this degree to fit the growing needs of the industry," says Jean-Phillipe Labruyere, an instructor for DePaul University's online Computer, Information, and Network Security master's program. "This field is already big and it's growing all the time."
From mom and pop shops, to giant corporations, and nonprofit organizations, Network Security personnel are needed. According to a recent study conducted by the California-based IT staffing firm, Robert Half Technologies, 35 percent of chief information officers surveyed claimed that beefing up Network Security was their number one IT priority for the upcoming year. On the federal level, the recently passed Cybersecurity Department Enhancement Act is set to expand the field of Network Security tremendously.
5. Translators and Interpreters - The BLS states that one out of every five professional translators is self-employed. However, language translators aren't relegated to potentially spotty freelance work. Cali Mortenson Ellis, Departmental Analyst for the State of Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and a graduate of the Michigan State University Homeland Security certificate program, states that knowledge of language, particularly the languages of Asia and the Middle East, is an invaluable asset for those seeking positions in the field of national security.
"There is a distinct lack of understanding about the Islamic world," Ellis states. "I think a very solid grounding in linguistics and history of the Arab world would prepare [applicants] very well."
6. Social Worker - From unemployment to disability issues, social workers tackle the more serious problems society can throw at them. In the aftermath of both natural and man-made disasters, these professionals use government as well as nonprofit agencies to rebuild devastated communities. With the influx of disenfranchised people brought on by Hurricane Katrina, the BLS predicts that the profession will grow approximately 22 percent through 2013. Job openings favor social workers trained to deal with substance abuse problems and issues concerning the elderly.
His project is just a minute part of the field of public safety preparedness, which is experiencing exponential growth as Americans become more aware of the country's vulnerability. Encompassing jobs ranging from traffic officials to vaccine producers, public safety has evolved into a hot-button field of the 21st century.