What Can Homeland Security Do to Keep Us Safe?
Few ways of earning a living are more rewarding than serving your country. For the quarter of a million individuals employed by United States Department of Homeland Security, their collective mission is to secure the nation against a multitude of threats. This massive task requires the cooperation of aviators and airport screeners, cybersecurity analysts and chemical facility inspectors, border security officers and biological scientists.
The threats to security are not always political. A huge part of the DHS remit includes disaster recovery. When Hurricane Maria struck the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, the Department of Homeland Security, through its Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), worked with the local government on one of the most logistically complicated responses in history.
Careers in Homeland Security
Feeling the warm glow of serving humanity is not the only reward for protecting your country. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment, then border patrol might be the job for you. As a Border Patrol Agent, your mission is to prevent people from entering the country who don't have a legal right to do so. You are also responsible for preventing people from bringing prohibited items into the country such as guns, drugs, and items not legally available for sale in the U.S.
Your job will differ depending on what part of the country you are working in. Being stationed in the southwestern United States, where more people try to enter the country illegally than from anywhere else, will be a lot different from working at the northern border. Your job will also vary from day to day. One day you might be fighting off boredom from doing paperwork, the next you might be calling for back-up to help you manage as many as 50 illegal entrants.
Employment prospects for Border Patrol Agents are good, partly because they are required to retire at the age of 57. The pay isn't bad, either. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not collect data on Border Patrol Agents separately from other law enforcement officers. According to the Department of Homeland Security, most agents start on the Federal Government's General Schedule pay scale. Pay can vary based on experience, education, and certification level.
Kick-Starting your Career in Homeland Security
To become a Border Patrol Agent, you need to be below the age of 37, a U.S. citizen, and hold a valid state driver's license. You will need to pass a medical examination, fitness test, a panel interview, a drug test, and a background investigation. You will be disqualified if you have a history of violence or if you have been convicted of a felony. If you will be communicating with people for whom English is not their first language, an understanding of other cultures and languages is essential. Knowing Spanish is a huge bonus, but not a requirement. Being willing to learn is also sufficient.
What Kind of Skills and Abilities Does an Individual Need in Order to be Eligible?
These will vary depending upon your role. A Border Patrol Agent will need nerves of steel and a calm manner, while a cybersecurity analyst will have a high tedium threshold and a keen affinity for detail. Some jobs are obviously more physically demanding than others are, and less public-facing roles place less emphasis on foreign language skills.
Why is Formal Education an Important Part of that Mix?
At the very minimum, new agents require a bachelor's degree, one year of qualifying experience, or some combination of the two. Formal education should never be overlooked when considering a job with DHS. The experience doesn't necessarily have to be in law enforcement. Two or more years in a high school Reserve Officer Training Corp program could apply.
Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice
A Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice, with an emphasis on Homeland Security, would provide you with a focus on real world application of principles in criminology and national security. In an accelerated degree program, you could find yourself graduating in as little as 2.5 years. You would acquire skills and knowledge in:
- Law enforcement
- Terrorism and counter-terrorism
- Surveillance, security, and investigations
- Multicultural communication
- Legal issues in homeland security
- Emergency planning
- Homeland security operations
Whether you are interested in law enforcement, disaster recovery, border protection, cybersecurity, or one of dozens of other roles, your skills and aptitudes should transfer well into the realm of homeland security. If earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice with an emphasis in Homeland Security sounds like the right path for you, then connect with one of our ECPI University admissions representatives today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
DISCLAIMER – ECPI University makes no claim, warranty, or guarantee as to actual employability or earning potential to current, past or future students or graduates of any educational program we offer. The ECPI University website is published for informational purposes only. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained on the ECPI.edu domain; however, no warranty of accuracy is made. No contractual rights, either expressed or implied, are created by its content.
Gainful Employment Information – Homeland Security - Bachelor’s
For more information about ECPI University or any of our programs click here: http://www.ecpi.edu/ or http://ow.ly/Ca1ya.