Picking a career is one of the most challenging choices people have to make. Often people don’t understand what they want to do; therefore, figuring out a path seems impossible. Counselors and experts help people truly understand themselves to conclude what they want to do in their lives. If you are struggling with making a career decision, too, you can try understanding what your skills are and how you can put them to best use.
Younger people these days are highly inclined towards serving the world and investing in a gratifying career that helps them give back to the community. If you have similar interests, you must explore a career in homeland security. The Department of Homeland Security is increasingly gaining attention as more people pursue enrolling in this federal agency.
What Does A Career In Homeland Security Entail?
Every day the world witnesses several major disasters – whether human-made or natural. According to the Center for Disease Control & Prevention, the leading causes of mortality in Alabama include firearm deaths, homicide, and drug overdoses. Homeland security professionals are responsible for preventing everything from terrorist attacks to infectious diseases to cybercrime. The job revolves around battling and controlling potential disasters before and after they occur.
A homeland security degree curriculum features an optimal blend of disaster preparedness, corporate security, resilience planning, and community protection. Individuals learn the use and application of several tools and techniques to protect the country. Here are eight benefits of making a career in the ever-growing field of homeland security:
1. Homeland Security Degrees Offer Paid Training Opportunities
Several universities offer carefully curated online homeland security degrees to train people with knowledge and experience that goes above and beyond what you learn in a traditional school. You get a chance to take advantage of several different training programs available to seek advanced training. The best part is that all these training programs pay you to learn. All homeland security departments and agencies offer candidates paid training opportunities to build their skills and qualify for rapid career advancement. Can you think of another profession that pays you to learn and develop your talents?
2. Homeland Security Degrees Deliver Unmatched Job Experience
These degree programs depend more on the application than theory, which explains why people have impressive experience. The experience you gain from a homeland security degree program helps you significantly advance your career and connect with enriching job opportunities. The homeland security curriculum is majorly dependent on training, so people gain first-hand experience of what takes place in the field. More action and fewer words enhance your personal growth and development that can benefit you significantly in the long term.
3. Homeland Security Degrees Feature Exceptional Benefits And Perks
Once you complete your online degree, you can easily apply for a relevant position in the prestigious department of homeland security. Choosing to work in homeland security introduces you to many benefits, including retirement plans, health insurance, tuition reimbursement, student loan repayment, transportation subsidies, etc. The most popular perk of a career in homeland security is the agency’s tuition-reimbursement program, which either offsets higher education costs alongside the homeland security job or assists in repaying student loans.
4. Homeland Security Degrees Boost Career Advancement
A multitude of potential fields and job opportunities open up for you once you complete a degree in homeland security. After graduation, several great options include airport and border security, intelligence, law and customs enforcement, firefighters, transportation and private security, police officers, emergency management, forensic science technicians, etc. In addition, following an educational track into homeland security blesses you with a myriad of rewarding career options in government agencies and local state public service initiatives at federal levels.
5. Performance-Based Pay
Homeland security degrees improve your chance of enjoying an impressive pay scale at your job. In addition, once you complete a degree in homeland security, the job opportunities that come along feature performance-based pay, meaning the better you perform, the higher the income. Therefore, if you are serious about pursuing a career in the homeland security department, you must take advantage of the various paid training opportunities the degree offers to improve your prospects of doing well at your job and increasing your income.
6. Flexible Hours
A study reported that 79% of workers believe that a flexible job increases work-life balance. This stat explains why 72% of people prioritize work-life balance when considering careers. People looking to enroll in a homeland security degree program may not have a problem maintaining a work-life balance. Most homeland security jobs feature flexible timings, so you can work various shifts to best accommodate your personal and professional life. The flexible scheduling offered in homeland security careers enables people to easily balance their work and home, so workplace-induced burnout isn’t a concern.
7. Paid Federal Holidays
After completing a degree in homeland security, working for a federal agency allows you to enjoy several paid federal holidays each year alongside several other benefits. Federal agencies are known to provide their employees with paid federal holidays, so they know that they are valued. Moreover, homeland security departments invest in their employees’ health and wellbeing through retirement packages and health coverage.
8. Build A Varied Skill Base
A degree in homeland security allows you to learn various skills and talents that bring you incredible personal and workplace opportunities. Some of these skills include:
- Critical thinking & risk assessment – the skill of understanding and developing emergency response initiatives.
- Research skills and information processing- the skill of exploring various branches of science and technology.
- Teamwork – the skill of productively working in groups and effective communication.
- Technology skills – the skill of becoming technology proficient.
- Understanding government policies & laws – the skill of developing a robust foundational understanding of the law.
- Leadership – the skill of managing others and leading them to success
- Attention to detail – the skill of working in criminal investigation or forensics areas of the field
- Strategic planning – the skill of being thoughtful with time and resources
- Crisis communication – the skill of quick action in leadership during natural disasters and human-made emergencies
- Emergency management – the skill of taking on a leading role during emergencies
Conclusion
Enrolling in a homeland security degree program allows you to step into a career opportunity that challenges your mind and rewards you with multiple skills and talents. Once you complete the program, you can either apply for a job at the homeland security department or pursue another career that your heart desires – the knowledge and experience you attain in this degree will prepare you for several different career options. In addition, working for the Department of Homeland Security rewards you with multiple benefits mentioned above.
