9781422270677

CAREERS IN BEAUTY AND FASHION CAREERS IN BUSINESS CAREERS IN CONSTRUCTION CAREERS IN ENGINEERING CAREERS IN THE ENVIRONMENT CAREERS IN NURSING CAREERS IN SAFETY AND SECURITY CAREERS IN SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE WEB CAREERS IN SPORTS CAREERS IN THERAPY AND REHABILITATION

BY ANDREW MORKES

PO Box 221876, Hollywood, FL 33022 (866) MCP-BOOK (toll-free) • www.masoncrest.com

Copyright © 2024 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Printed in the United States of America First printing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Series ISBN: 978-1-4222-4751-8 Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4222-4758-7 ebook ISBN: 978-1-4222-7067-7 Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file with the Library of Congress Developed and Produced by National Highlights, Inc. Project Manager: Andrew Morkes Cover and Interior Design: Tara Raymo • CreativelyTara Layout: Priceless Digital Media, LLC Publisher’s Note: Websites listed in this book were active at the time of publication. The publisher is not responsible for websites that have changed their address or discontinued operation since the date of publication. The publisher reviews and updates the websites each time the book is reprinted.

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Introduction................................................................... 7 Chapter 1: Is a Safety and Security Career for You?...........11 Chapter 2: Safety and Security Career Paths....................17 Chapter 3: Charting Your Path in Safety and Security........35 Chapter 4: Exploring Education and Careers in Safety and Security........................55 Chapter 5: Learning More about Safety and Security and Career Choices.....................81 Index............................................................................92 Photo Credits................................................................94 Educational Video Links.................................................95 Author’s Biography .......................................................96 Words to Understand: These words with their easy-to-understand definitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text while building vocabulary skills. Sidebars: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Educational Videos: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing them with additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic sports moments, and much more! Series Glossary of Key Terms: The Key Terms glossary contains terminology used throughout this series. Words found here increase the reader’s ability to read and comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field.

The number of women entering safety and security careers—including those in law enforcement—continues to rise. 6

Introduction

Students are often interested in learning more about careers, but many don’t take the steps necessary to do so, according to a survey of 14- to 18-year-olds by the nonprofit ECMC Group. It found that while 74 percent of respondents believe it is important to have their career plans determined when they graduate from high school, only 39 percent have taken classes or participated in programs to explore occupations. Many young people are not aware of the wide range of activities that are available to help them explore the field they’re considering, discover career paths, and learn what it takes to train and be successful in a given occupation. If you are a middle school or high school student, here are just a few of the exploration activities in which you can participate: • law enforcement, first aid, and cybersecurity competitions • school clubs • interviews and job shadowing experiences with safety and security professionals • summer exploration camps • volunteer opportunities • tours of police and fire stations and other places where safety and security professionals do their work • books, websites, podcasts, and videos • mentorship programs • resources from professional safety and security associations, companies, and government agencies The Getting Started series provides everything that you need to know about exploring careers while you’re in middle and high school. It also includes a wealth of information about dozens of occupations in each title, educational requirements, paying for school, and many

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Firefighters battle a fire.

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Getting Started: Careers in Safety and Security

other resources. If you’re looking for some great—and fun—ideas on how to learn more about a specific occupational field, you should check out this series. After trying out some of the suggested activities and learning more about safety and security occupations, you may be inspired to become a police officer, cybersecurity professional, or Secret Service agent, or enter one of dozens of other careers in this field. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s begin exploring education and careers in safety and security.

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Introduction

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND

cyberattacks: deliberate electronic efforts to destroy or cause damage to computer systems and/or steal information in a particular area of business, such as car manufacturing or hospitality doctorate: an educational credential that is awarded to an individual who completes two or three additional years of education after earning a master’s degree; it is also known as a doctoral degree forensic science: the process of using science to obtain facts that can be used in court or in other situations where the truth needs to be established professional association: an organization that is founded by a group of people who have the same career (e.g., police officers, intelligence officers) or who work in the same industry specialty (e.g., information technology, security) probation: a type of judicial monitoring in which a person who is convicted of a crime is not sent to jail but, instead, is required to go a certain period of time without committing a crime or otherwise breaking the rules of probation

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1 Chapter

Is a Safety and Security Career for You? What’s So Great about Safety and Security Careers? Safety and security professionals are protectors, rescuers, and healers. They are the police officers who stop robberies. The firefighters who battle fires and rescue families from burning buildings. The intelligence officers and spies who gather information and stop terrorist attacks and cyberattacks . And the emergency medical technicians (EMTs) who rush to the scenes of car accidents, explosions, and other emergencies to treat those who are injured and to save lives. They are brave, dependable, helpful, and cool under pressure. Security and safety careers are available for people with high school diplomas all the way through doctorates . You can even train for some positions via an apprenticeship (a formal training program that combines supervised practical experience and classroom instruction) or through the military. These training methods—unlike college—are free, and you will earn a salary while you learn.

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A wide range of work environments are available in safety and security. Police officers, EMTs, firefighters, and others are in constant motion responding to emergency calls. Other workers—such as cybersecurity specialists—spend much of their time indoors in offices,

Information security analysts are some of the highest-paid safety and security professionals.

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Getting Started: Careers in Safety and Security

gathering and evaluating information and responding to cyberattacks. Some jobs in safety and security involve a hybrid indoor/outdoor work environment. Workers in safety and security earn a median annual wage of $46,590, according to the US Department of Labor (DOL). This is slightly higher than the median annual wage ($45,760) for workers in all occupations. Workers in the following occupations earn higher median wages:

• information security analysts: $102,600 • emergency management directors: $76,730 • police and detectives: $66,020 • fire inspectors: $63,080 • forensic science technicians: $61,930 • probation officers: $60,250 • private detectives and investigators: $59,380

On the other hand, EMTs ($36,930) and security guards ($31,470) earn lower salaries. Some people work in these careers before completing additional education that prepares them for higher-paying occupations and more advancement opportunities. There will always be a strong need for safety and security professionals because they keep us safe. Without them, crime would increase, cyberattacks would disable our computer systems, fires would rage, and no one would respond when car accidents occur, people have heart attacks, and buildings collapse. Some careers provide more opportunities than others. For example, employment for information security analysts is expected to grow 35 percent from 2021 to 2031, according to the DOL. Job opportunities for forensic science technicians are expected to increase 11 percent during this time span. Both of these careers will grow much faster than the average for all careers. Other careers that will enjoy good growth include firefighters, fire inspectors, EMTS and paramedics, and private detectives and investigators.

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Is a Safety and Security Career for You?

Employment for EMTs will be strong during the next decade. Above, two EMTs treat a person who was injured in a car accident.

What Type of People Are Interested in Safety and Security Careers?

People with many different interests can find safety and security careers that suit them. But if you’re unsure about your interest in the field, answer the following statements to determine if a career in security and safety is the best fit for you. • I like helping others. • I am a good problem-solver and critical thinker. • I like to conduct research and gather data. • I want to make the world a better place. • I like puzzles and other mind-challenging games. • I am willing to risk injury, and possibly death, as I carry out my duties (for some careers).

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Getting Started: Careers in Safety and Security

If many of these statements describe you, then you should c onsider a career in the field. But don’t be deterred if you didn’t check most of the boxes. So many additional safety and security occupations exist that you are likely to find a great career that will match your skills and interests. In fact, this book provides information on more than 35 safety and security careers! What’s Inside This Book In this book, you’ll receive answers to the following questions, and more: • What are some great careers in the field? • What are some key safety and security terms that I should know? • What are some easy and more challenging ways to explore education and careers in the field? • What are some important professional associations in the field, and what types of resources do they provide to students and to those just starting out in their career searches? • What safety- and security-related books and websites should I check out? • How do I train for a safety and security career? • How do I pay for my education, and what free training options are available? • How do I land my first job in the field? Does a career in safety and security sound like a good fit for your interests and abilities? If so, read on to learn everything you need to know about exploring and preparing for the field.

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Is a Safety and Security Career for You?

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND

computer modeling: the use of a software program to predict the results of a process, or a series of events defendant: a person or other entity that has been accused of a crime or other wrongdoing hazardous waste: debris that can damage human health and the environment, and which must be handled and disposed of carefully nonprofit: a group that uses any profits it generates to advance its stated goals (e.g., protecting the environment, helping the homeless); it is not a corporation or other for-profit business; also known as a nonprofit organization plaintiff: a person, company, or other entity that brings a legal case against another person or entity restitution: compensation for injury or financial loss

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