Students are increasingly interested in pursuing an emergency management degree due to the wide range of career opportunities that are becoming available in this field. Individuals considering an emergency management program often get better results from their studies when they start out with relevant work experience. Practical skills acquired through employment enable students to have an advantage over their classmates while helping them recognize a clear path towards career success. Students considering an emergency management degree program, therefore, should consider finding a relevant job that will help lead them toward future advancement.
1. Disaster Program Specialist
Disasters happen more often than most people know. Relatively small disasters are ongoing in almost any community, and problem solvers are needed to help find solutions to these challenges. Disaster program specialists work to find disasters, help victims understand their options, and implement solutions. Due to the high prevailing demand for disaster program specialists, students can normally find one of these jobs before starting their emergency management degree.
2. Emergency Management Program Analyst
Every emergency management operation requires personnel who coordinate the distribution of resources needed to help victims recover. Analysts evaluate research, interview experts, and develop a response plan that will later be carried out. Working as an analyst requires the ability to work both quickly and accurately to achieve results. While individuals without a degree can rarely work as a lead analyst, they can often find employment helping other analysts complete their work.
3. Homeland Security Specialist
In the age of terrorism and other threats, domestic security has become more important than ever before. Homeland security specialists help carry out the wide range of responsibilities needed to ensure domestic security, such as watching suspects, developing partnerships with community leaders, and installing monitoring equipment. Gaining any experience in the homeland security field can significantly improve a student’s future career prospects.
4. Environmental Disaster Recovery
Environmental disasters happen regularly in the modern world, so governments and other organizations need plenty of assistance to help manage these crises. Future students can gain field experience helping to carry out a disaster recovery plan on the ground. Moreover, students who demonstrate superior intelligence can often work their way up to becoming a manager or even an analyst before beginning their degree program. Environmental disaster recovery jobs can also yield benefits while a student is completing their degree since they can continue their employment while still in school. In some cases, employers are sometimes even willing to help pay for a student’s tuition.
5. Disaster Training Associate
Although individuals who have not finished school cannot qualify for advanced training jobs, the emergency management field demands training on lower levels to help new associates learn how to complete their responsibilities. Training associates are often in high demand because disasters often necessitate short-term hiring to complete the specifications laid out in a recovery plan. For example, trainers might be needed to teach disaster recovery personnel how to follow sanitation guidelines or complete relatively simple work. Training jobs, therefore, are a great option for students who are considering a future degree in the emergency management field.
Resource: 50 Most Affordable Schools for an Emergency Management Degree 2015
Work experience is an excellent way to acquire the skills necessary to help students understand the true value of the emergency management profession. Students who acquire experience in a particular discipline of emergency management can often help lead teams upon graduation. When graduates start out in a higher position, they can often attract the attention of an organization’s top leaders. Once students are noticed, they can expect to rise quickly. Finding a job before starting an emergency management program, therefore, is often the right decision for today’s students.