10
Fast-Growing Careers
Almost every job in Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security
Occupation
% Growth New Jobs Created
(2002–2012) (2002–2012)
requires you to pass an exam. Acing these tests can earn you
police and sheriff’s patrol officer 34.3% 17,300 certifications in different specialties or can mean a promotion.
detective and criminal Investigator 32.1% 2,550
Some examinations, such as those for firefighters, involve physical
correctional officer and Jailer 29.6% 10,650
tasks, so being in good physical condition is essential.
Women and members of minority groups are in big demand in
paralegal and legal assistant 29.5% 4,100
the cluster. In a state as diverse as Texas, agencies want the makeup
firefighter 28.9% 5,900
of their communities to be reflected in their workforces. “For
first-line supervisor/manager of firefighting workers 26.2% 800
example, more and more women have come into firefighting in the
crossing guard 25.0% 900
last 10 years,” says Jake Soteriou, division director for standards
first-line supervisor/manager of correctional officers 25.0% 1,200
and certification for the Texas Association of Firefighters. “The
image is no longer that of the big brute fireman. We have found
arbitrator, mediator, and conciliator 25.0% 50
that just about anybody can do this job if he or she is willing to
child, family, and school social worker 27.6% 480
work and learn.”
This is a projection of 10 fast-growing careers in Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security in Texas
Experts agree that the most important skills for people in the
from the year 2002 to 2012 and the number of new jobs created in each occupation. Note that whereas the
percentage of growth in jobs may be high, the actual number of jobs created may be low. For example, there
cluster to have are strong interpersonal and communication
will be only 50 new jobs for arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators created in Texas during the decade that
abilities. “A person in this area really needs people skills, whether
the data covers. Source: Texas Workforce Commission.
he or she is an attorney, in law enforcement, or a firefighter,”
says Coffee. “They need to be able to deal with people in crisis or
people,” says Joe Coffee, executive director of dangerous situations.”
the National Partnership for Careers in Law, Soteriou sums up the advice he would give to
Public Safety, Corrections & Security, which
Texas lawYers
a young person considering Law, Public Safety,
is leading the development of the cluster
provIde approxImaTelY
Corrections & Security: “It’s very rewarding
nationally. “Everyone is using more and knowing that you are doing something to help save
more technology. Even for 911 dispatchers;
1.8 mIllIon Hours of
lives and property. You may not make a fortune,
their jobs are much more complex than just
free (pro Bono) legal
but you are doing work that helps people. If you
answering the phone and notifying the fire or
servIces To low-Income
are willing to have an open mind and keep learning,
police departments.” you can move up the ranks. Within the cluster,
Rather than consisting of a few core
people eacH Year.
there are so many different opportunities for
occupations such as patrol officer or career advancement.”
firefighter, the cluster is becoming home to more specialized jobs.
“Forensics, for example, has expanded tremendously thanks to
DNA technology,” says Sherman. “Most agencies have special
units like crime labs and cyber crime experts. There is a lot more 10
Top-Paying Careers
specialization in law enforcement than there was 20 years ago.”
Occupation
Average Entry-Level Experienced
More Education Required
Wage Wage Wage
New security technologies and techniques mean that those working
lawyer $54.80 $26.58 $68.91
in Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security need more education
administrative law Judge and Hearing officer $34.90 $13.91 $45.39
than ever. “If you want to be an attorney, you have to go to law
Judge, magistrate Judge, and magistrate $31.42 $10.87 $41.70
school, of course,” says Coffee. “But for
first-line supervisor /
law enforcement, fire, and emergency manager of police and detectives
$30.68 $21.09 $35.47
personnel, different jurisdictions
first-line supervisor /
have different requirements. Some
manager of firefighting workers
$27.53 $19.54 $31.52
departments require four years of court reporter $25.65 $14.48 $31.24
college, others two years, and some
radio operator $25.19 $12.18 $31.70
just high school. If you are
detective and criminal Investigator $24.35 $15.77 $28.64
looking at this cluster, you
shouldn’t just look at entry-
fire Inspector and Investigator $21.45 $16.76 $23.80
level requirements, but the
Transit and railroad police $21.03 $16.65 $23.23
education needed to get
This is a chart of hourly wages for 10 of the top-paying careers in the Law, Public Safety, Corrections &
where you want to go in
Security cluster in Texas. Note how entry-level wages are often much lower than pay for the average worker
and experienced workers in each profession. Source: Texas Workforce Commission.
the profession.”
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