“By changing a procedure, we can save disseminating information such as passenger the opportunity to find the career
money for the agency and the licensee,” statistics or new airline routes. that’s perfect for you.
he points out. “Most people don’t think Crisis management is another For Halbrook, part of the fun is hosting
about the state actually reducing costs, but important responsibility—for example, an event. “When we hosted the Airports
in 2004, we were able to reduce fees for 29 on September 11, 2001, when airports closed Council International Conference, we
license types.” all over the country. threw a party at the Bob Bullock Texas State
Kuntz also spends a considerable amount “I was going to work,” he remembers, History Museum, took executives out to
of time working with business people from “and I got a page from the local CBS eat, and held informational and educational
the community. “Currently, the legislature is affiliate saying, ‘Jim, we’ve got film showing workshops,” he remembers.
considering a bill that would amend the way a plane flying into the Twin Towers. For Kuntz, the challenge is finding new
tow trucks are regulated. It would What’s going on?’ When I got to the ways to improve his agency. “I love my
Careers
affect a lot of people—storage lots, the airport, we began evacuating it and job,” he says. “I’m really having too much
American Automobile Association, and the assembling the media. fun to retire.”
tow truck operators. At the request of the “There were a lot of rumors to deal For Kelly, it’s the drama of space travel.
bill sponsor, we met with about 50 business with. We got one media call about a fifth “The decisions I make play out before the
people to explain how we could enforce the plane that never landed in Dallas and was world’s eyes in a matter of minutes.
new regulations if the bill passes.” supposedly headed here. We knew that the Where else would I find a
skies had been cleared, so our job was getting job like that?”
informing the Media the facts straight and laying unfounded
As public information program manager rumors to rest.”
for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
(owned by the City of Austin), Jim Halbrook Doing What You Love
anticipates what the media will want to know Perhaps the best part of working in
and informs the public about air travel, Government & Public Administration is
5
Cool Careers
cHeck ouT THese excITIng careers In governmenT & publIc admInIsTraTIon.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
FOrEiGN SErviCE COmPUtEr PrOGrAmmEr City PLANNEr HOmELAND SECUrity Air trAFFiC CONtrOLLEr
DiPLOmAtiC COUriEr “The cool thing about being ever wanted to design your own iNtELLiGENCE rESEArCH air traffic controllers coordinate
want to see the world and get a programmer is that it’s city? city planners help prepare SPECiALiSt the movement of aircraft to
paid for it? diplomatic couriers completely creative,” says marty towns, cities, and counties for Intelligence research specialists make certain that planes stay a
carry diplomatic pouches mitchell of the lower colorado future growth by determining for the department of Homeland safe distance apart. Their main
containing classified and river authority in austin, which what land will be developed security protect the u.s. from concern is safety, but controllers
sensitive material for the federal supplies electricity and manages and how buildings and other terrorists and tools of terrorism also direct planes efficiently to
government, assuring that they water supply in central Texas. structures will be designed. that could threaten our citizens minimize delays. some regulate
arrive safely at their destinations. “I like to use my problem- planning a city takes creativity— and nation. These professionals air traffic, guiding planes through
diplomatic couriers often live solving skills to create useful you must place utilities so that assess current and future threats designated airspaces; others
and work overseas, and travel applications, like developing homes have access to electricity and present information to case coordinate airport arrivals
constantly, so they see more of systems for monitoring energy and clean water, and design agents, attorneys, grand juries, and departures. either way,
the world than most people can flow through the grid.” as a roads that efficiently get people and others for use in criminal controllers’ precision expertise
even imagine. government programmer, you to work, home, and school. prosecutions. They also evaluate is critical to the efficiency and
can set up systems in electric intelligence programs to detect safety of air travel.
power supply, highway traffic deficiencies, intelligence gaps,
control, space travel, and more. or other serious problems in the
country’s national defense.
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