Music is an immortal secret language— like a purifying bath for your soul, cleansing away the chaos of everyday life.

And, even as a child, music was your inner voice. It was as if you heard something others couldn’t hear. Sometimes you danced to the music only you heard.

And you knew you weren’t crazy, because the sound was so beautiful. Because music always restored you, centered you, always healed you, made you strong again.

And that is why you are a musician. A singer. A composer. An arranger. A director. A teacher.

You always know who you are when you play your music, sing your music, compose your music, arrange your music, direct your music. And you spend tons of time practicing alone and with your band, your orchestra, or your choir. You play several different musical instruments. You learned several musical styles.

Whether you perform solo, or gig as part of a group— in a small club, in a church, or in front of live audiences in nightclubs, concert halls, and theaters— you love who you are.

How did you become this person? You were born with a gift, an “ear”.

How do you survive? How do you make a living?

Many musicians specialize. Instrumental, vocal, directors, conductors, composers, arrangers, each does his/her own thing in music.

Each has his/her own training, and many have earned degrees, formal training to vastly expand their music knowledge and abilities.

Instrumental musicians play in a symphony orchestra, rock group, or jazz combo one night. They might work in a studio band the following day. Some play a variety of string, brass, woodwind, or percussion instruments or electronic synthesizers.

Singers use their knowledge of voice production, melody, and harmony to interpret music and text. They sing character parts or perform in their own individual styles. Singers often are classified according to their voice range—soprano, contralto, tenor, baritone, or bass—or by the type of music they sing, such as rock, pop, folk, opera, rap, or country.

Music directors and conductors conduct, direct, plan, and lead instrumental or vocal performances by musical groups such as orchestras, choirs, and glee clubs. These leaders audition and select musicians, choose the music most appropriate for their talents and abilities, and direct rehearsals and performances.

Choral directors lead choirs and glee clubs, sometimes working with a band or an orchestra conductor. Directors audition and select singers and lead them at rehearsals and performances to achieve harmony, rhythm, tempo, shading, and other desired musical effects.

Composers create original music such as symphonies, operas, sonatas, radio and television jingles, film scores, and popular songs. They transcribe ideas into musical notation, using harmony, rhythm, melody, and tonal structure. Although most composers and songwriters practice their craft on instruments and transcribe the notes with pen and paper, some use computer software to compose and edit their music.

Arrangers transcribe and adapt musical compositions to a particular style for orchestras, bands, choral groups, or individuals. Components of music—including tempo, volume, and the mix of instruments needed—are arranged to express the composer’s message. Although some arrangers write directly into a musical composition, others use computer software to make changes.

A good payday sometimes can be scored by gigs in recording or production studios for radio, TV, film, or video games.

Long-term on-the-job training is the most common way people learn to become musicians or singers.

Aspiring musicians begin studying an instrument at an early age. They may gain valuable experience playing in a school or community band or orchestra or with a group of friends.

Singers usually start training when their voices mature. Participation in school musicals or choirs often provides good early training and experience.

Composers and music directors usually require a bachelor’s degree in a related field.

Formal training may be obtained through private study with an accomplished musician, in a college or university music program, or in a music conservatory. An audition generally is necessary to qualify for university or conservatory study.

In the US, the National Association of Schools of Music is made up of 615 accredited college-level programs in music. (Music theory, music interpretation, composition, conducting, and performance, either with a particular instrument or a voice performance.)

A master’s or doctoral degree usually is required to teach advanced music courses in colleges and universities.

A bachelor’s degree may be sufficient to teach basic courses. Worldwide, a degree in music education qualifies grads to teach music in schools.

Music sharing on the web has hurt the music business, as we all know. And yet new stars keep appearing. The great music is always being born!

Talented individuals skilled in multiple instruments or musical styles will have the best job prospects. But talented people often quit because they find the work difficult, the discipline demanding, and the long periods of intermittent unemployment a hardship.

Those who never quit— the talented ones with the depth of education and determination— are the musicians who most often become the stars we know today.

For those musicians, the sky’s the limit.

The magic inside them translates into the immortal music that we all love!

In the US, for general information about music and music teacher education and a list of accredited college-level programs, contact:

• National Association of Schools of Music, 11250 Roger Bacon Dr., Suite 21, Reston, VA 20190. http://nasm.arts-accredit.org

Then answer this quick question— what is the huge key advantage that has made Wal-Mart the world’s biggest retailer? Why are their stocks high and prices low?

Give up? Wal-Mart’s Logisticians control an incredibly efficient supply system!

What is a Logistician? They are the invisible intellectual force behind the global success of the capitalist system.

Wal-Mart Logisticians cut costs and help the company offer its famously low prices— they do this by their highly efficient control of inventory. Their Logisticians continually analyze and coordinate the logistical functions of the huge company, and keep it running fast and strong.

Just how do the Logisticans do this? They control an efficient supply chain management (effectively managing the supply chain, ensuring that the customer gets the products they require when they want it, at a price they are prepared to pay.)

Logisticians oversee shipping and transportation, distribution to wholesalers or retailers, warehousing, and the just-in-time delivery that helps minimize costs and maximize productivity. Many of these jobs are in manufacturing or retail businesses.

Logisticians are key players in virtually every field— including energy, communications, finance, information technology, and government.

In fact, logisticians are responsible for the entire life cycle of every product— including all the acquisition, distribution, internal allocation, delivery, and final disposal of product resources!

Logisticians have many varied job titles— Integrated Logistics Support Manager (ILS Manager), Logistician, Logistics Team Lead, Production Planner, Logistics Engineers, Logistics Analysts.

Examples include accountants, sales managers, database administrators, teachers, chemists, environmental engineers, criminal investigators, and special agents.

Logisticians all have a similar educational background, and we’ll get to their education requirements soon.

But look at all the important fields that Logisticians control—

Administration and Management — Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Transportation — Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

Public Safety and Security — Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Mathematics — Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Production and Processing — Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Education and Training — Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Clerical — Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

Most of these Logistical occupations require a four-year bachelor’s degree.

Instead of a master’s or MBA, Logisticians need work-related skill, knowledge, or experience, to add to their bachelor’s degree.

Several years of work-related logistical experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training, is a huge boost to your degree, for getting the top jobs. That’s because many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others.

For example, an accountant must complete four years of college— and work for several years in accounting, to be considered qualified.

If math is a natural for you, if logic and order appeal to you… and if you want a solid profession, explore a degree involving Logistics.

Bottom line? Logisticians run our world. They are the invisible heroes of success in commerce and capitalism, always working behind the scenes.

Worldwide, Logisticians are highly paid, and always in great demand.

Want to be a key player on the global stage? Our world would grind to a halt without its invisible controllers— Logisticians!

The slow motion agony of it. He was a newbie big city cop. On the street in a black-and-white, six weeks, a green rookie. His sergeant riding with him. Training Day.

They got the “Officer Down!” call and the sergeant said nothing, hit the lights and cut through the streets at pursuit speed. Riding to the scene, his mind raced through the scenarios of his training routines. The noise of his heart was hammering in his ears, louder than the cruiser’s whooper.

The car skidding to a stop. Other black-and-whites already there. (To this day, he still just cannot remember grabbing the 870 pumpgun from the cruiser’s console rack.)

Jumping out. A cool spring morning. Breath foggy in front of faces. Hoarse voices, fear, determination, anger.

He vividly remembers the bright red blood trail on the yellow grass between the houses. And the first two victims lying dead with people around them. And the other cops hunting among the houses. Then the gunfire from somewhere to his left. Rapid double-tap pistol fire and the hollow BOOMs of shotguns.

He was alone, crouched, realizing his hands held the shotgun, hearing everything magnified, the colors so vivid, coming up behind a house.

Seeing the shape of a man with a gun firing at other officers ducking behind a line of cars.

He remembers his panic attack. Lifting the shotgun, seeing the bead drop into the channel, the man shape on the bead, the terrible effort of pulling the trigger. At first it felt stuck. Finally, the liquid jolt, the recoil of the 12-gauge. The BOOM hardly heard at all.

The man shape not moving, (how could I have missed at this range?), the man shape no longer firing at the other cops.

The shape turning to aim at him now. Muzzle flash straight at him. Remembering a rock fight with some kids when he was little and the WHACK of rocks on his chest.

Nothing working right. Hands numb, like thick gloves. Trying to pump the shotgun slide but everything so slow, stupid, dreamlike, sluggish, then lining up the bead on the shape and firing the second load of buckshot, BOOM, the recoil numb and unfelt, (knowing the bead was on the perp, the man shape firing, the third pump of the shotgun slower than the second, the panic attack making everything almost impossible), and the shotgun lurching again, BOOM,

And now at last, slowly, the man shape falling, ever so slowly falling forward as if through molasses… then finally down and no longer firing.

Chest aching. He wondered if he was hit. Couldn’t feel anything. Wait. A slug in his vest, no, two, right over his heart. Trying to breathe, gasping for air. The stubborn shotgun hanging from one arm, muzzle smoking.

And the sergeant and other cops gathering around you, their eyes shining, and the sergeant saying, “He had the angle, had us cold from where he was.”

You saying, “Something’s wrong with the shotgun, couldn’t, couldn’t pump the slide…”

“What? I never saw anybody pump an 870 that fast in my life! It sounded like an automatic! You saved our collective ass!”

A story from another old friend of mine. Erudio has been fortunate in a wealth of friends.

Since that fight many years ago, that friend has served the public with honors, became a training officer himself, and distinguished himself in many ways.

Years later, he was decorated at the White House by a serving president, for valor in saving the life of a child— at the certain grave risk of his own.

His willingness to serve, and his college degree in Sociology, both prepared him for the most important work that he has done, reacting to the wide range of social issues that daily confront any good law officer.

Police work is highly dangerous and brutally stressful.

People depend on police officers and detectives to protect their lives and property. Our imperfect society requires their vigilance. On, or off-duty.

Education requirements range from a high school diploma to a college degree or higher. A degree helps prepare an officer for promotion.

Job opportunities in most local police departments will be excellent for qualified individuals, while competition is expected for jobs in State and Federal agencies. Applicants with college training in police science or military police experience will have the best opportunities.

Uniformed police officers have general law enforcement duties, including maintaining regular patrols and responding to calls for service. Much of their time is spent responding to calls and doing paperwork. They may direct traffic at the scene of an accident, investigate a burglary, or give first aid to an accident victim. In large police departments, officers usually are assigned to a specific type of duty.

Many urban police agencies are involved in community policing—a practice in which an officer builds relationships with the citizens of local neighborhoods and mobilizes the public to help fight crime.

Police agencies are usually organized into geographic districts, with uniformed officers assigned to patrol a specific area such as part of the business district or outlying residential neighborhoods. Officers may work alone, but in large agencies, they often patrol with a partner.

While on patrol, officers attempt to become thoroughly familiar with their patrol area and remain alert for anything unusual. Suspicious circumstances and hazards to public safety are investigated or noted, and officers are dispatched to individual calls for assistance within their district. During their shift, they may identify, pursue, and arrest suspected criminals; resolve problems within the community; and enforce traffic laws.

Some agencies have special geographic jurisdictions and enforcement responsibilities. Public college and university police forces, public school district police, and agencies serving transportation systems and facilities are examples. Most law enforcement workers in special agencies are uniformed officers; a smaller number are investigators.

Some police officers specialize in a particular field, such as chemical and microscopic analysis, training and firearms instruction, or handwriting and fingerprint identification. Others work with special units, such as horseback, bicycle, motorcycle, or harbor patrol; canine corps; special weapons and tactics (SWAT); or emergency response teams. A few local and special law enforcement officers primarily perform jail-related duties or work in courts.

Sheriffs and deputy sheriffs enforce the law on the county level. Sheriffs are usually elected to their posts and perform duties similar to those of a local or county police chief. Sheriffs’ departments tend to be relatively small, most having fewer than 50 sworn officers. Deputy sheriffs have law enforcement duties similar to those of officers in urban police departments. Police and sheriffs’ deputies who provide security in city and county courts are sometimes called bailiffs.

State police officers, sometimes called State troopers or highway patrol officers, arrest criminals Statewide and patrol highways to enforce motor vehicle laws and regulations. State police officers often issue traffic citations to motorists. At the scene of accidents, they may direct traffic, give first aid, and call for emergency equipment. They also write reports used to determine the cause of the accident. State police officers are frequently called upon to render assistance to other law enforcement agencies, especially those in rural areas or small towns.

State law enforcement agencies operate in every State except Hawaii. Most full-time sworn personnel are uniformed officers who regularly patrol and respond to calls for service. Others work as investigators, perform court-related duties, or carry out administrative or other assignments.

In addition to the common benefits—paid vacation, sick leave, and medical and life insurance—most police and sheriffs’ departments provide officers with special allowances for Police and detectives maintain law and order, collect evidence and information, and conduct investigations and surveillance.

Workers in related occupations include correctional officers, private detectives and investigators, probation officers and correctional treatment specialists, and security guards and gaming surveillance officers.

Most police and detectives build upon their formal education and learn much of what they need to know on the job, often in their agency’s police academy. Civil service regulations govern the appointment of police and detectives in most States, large municipalities, and special police agencies, as well as in many smaller jurisdictions. (Candidates must be U.S. citizens, usually at least 20 years old, and must meet rigorous physical and personal qualifications.)

Most departments require 1 or 2 years of college coursework. In some departments, a college degree is required. Law enforcement agencies encourage applicants to take courses or training related to law enforcement subjects after high school.

There will be competition for positions in law enforcement. Many entry-level applicants for police jobs have completed some formal postsecondary education. A very significant number are college graduates. You will be competing with them.

Prepare yourself well. Many junior colleges, colleges, and universities offer programs in law enforcement or administration of justice.

And give yourself a physical edge as well. Physical education classes (and participating in sports) are also helpful in developing the competitiveness, stamina, and agility needed for many law enforcement positions.

Another boost you can obtain from higher education— knowledge of a foreign language is a great asset in many police agencies and urban departments.

Here’s a bonus tip— many agencies pay all or part of the tuition, for officers to work toward degrees in criminal justice, police science, administration of justice, or public administration.

AND they will pay higher salaries to those who earn such a degree!

Information about entrance requirements may be obtained from Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies.

For general information about sheriffs and to learn more about the National Sheriffs’ Association scholarship, contact:

• National Sheriffs’ Association, 1450 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22314. http://www.sheriffs.org
• Information about qualifications for employment as a FBI Special Agent is available from the nearest State FBI office. The address and phone number are listed in the local telephone directory. http://www.fbi.gov
• Information on career opportunities, qualifications, and training for U.S. Secret Service Special Agents and Uniformed Officers is available from the Secret Service Personnel Division at (202) 406-5800, (888) 813-877, or (888) 813-USSS. http://www.secretservice.gov/join
• Information about qualifications for employment as a DEA Special Agent is available from the nearest DEA office, or call (800) DEA-4288. http://www.usdoj.gov/dea

Information about career opportunities, qualifications, and training to become a deputy marshal is available from:

• U.S. Marshals Service, Human Resources Division—Law Enforcement Recruiting, Washington, DC 20530-1000. http://www.usmarshals.gov

For information on operations and career opportunities in the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, contact:

• U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Office of Governmental and Public Affairs, 650 Massachusetts Ave., NW., Room 8290, Washington D.C., 20226. http://www.atf.gov

Information about careers in U.S. Customs and Border Protection is available from:

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20229. http://www.cbp.gov

Information about law enforcement agencies within the Department of Homeland Security is available from:

• U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528. http://www.dhs.gov

To find Federal, State, and local law enforcement job fairs and other recruiting events across the country, contact:

• National Law Enforcement Recruiters Association, 2045 15th St. North, Suite 210, Arlington, VA 22201. http://www.nlera.org

When they would see any special report coming on, reported by a famous face, a female journalist, they would all drop whatever they were doing, to watch.

“Because,” he said, “we knew wherever she was, that’s probably where we would be deploying next, and probably in a big hurry, too. She was always ahead of the world curve.”

Her face is world-famous. She has the ears of the world’s leaders. And it all began with a college degree.

Who is she?

She has secured exclusive interviews with world leaders from the Middle East to Europe to Africa and beyond, including Iranian Presidents Mohammad Khatami and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, as well as the presidents of Afghanistan, Sudan and Syria, among others.

Who is she? She is definitely a journalist.

After 9/11 she was the first international correspondent to interview British Prime Minister Tony Blair, French President Jacques Chirac and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.

In her 18 years as an international correspondent, Amanpour has reported on all the major crises from the world’s many hotspots, including Iraq, Afghanistan, the Palestinian territories, Iran, Israel, Pakistan, Somalia, Rwanda, the Balkans and the United States during Hurricane Katrina.

Still can’t guess?

She joined CNN in 1983 as an entry-level assistant on the network’s international assignment desk in Atlanta. She worked her way up to correspondent in CNN’s New York bureau before becoming an international correspondent in 1990. Her first major assignment was the Gulf War, and she has since covered wars, famine, genocide and natural disasters around the globe.

There’s still more.

Her body of work has earned an inaugural Television Academy Honor, nine News and Documentary Emmys, four George Foster Peabody Awards, two George Polk Awards, three duPont-Columbia Awards, the Courage in Journalism Award, an Edward R. Murrow award and other major journalism awards.

Many honorary degrees— from The American University of Paris, Georgetown University, New York University, Smith College, Emory University and the University of Michigan.

In 2007, she was made a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE), by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for her “highly distinguished, innovative contribution” to the field of journalism. In 1998, the city of Sarajevo named her an honorary citizen for her “personal contribution to spreading the truth” during the Bosnia war from 1992 to 1995.

Okay, by now you’ve guessed her name. But you still don’t know how she got to be who she is.

Her name is Christiane Amanpour. CNN’s chief international correspondent, based in New York.

How did she get her start in journalism? She went to school and worked for it.

Amanpour studied at the University of Rhode Island. During her time there she worked in the News Department at WBRU-FM in Providence, Rhode Island. Amanpour graduated from the university summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Journalism degree in 1983.

In 1983, she was hired by CNN as a desk assistant on the Foreign Desk. In 1989, she was assigned to work in Frankfurt, Germany, where she reported on the democratic revolutions sweeping Eastern Europe at the time.

This was her big break and she made the most of it.

Following Iraq’s occupation of Kuwait in 1990, Amanpour’s reports of the Persian Gulf War brought her wide notice while also taking the network to a new level of news coverage.

She reported from the Bosnian war and many other conflict zones.

Her emotional delivery from Sarajevo during the Siege of Sarajevo led some viewers and critics to question her professional objectivity, claiming that many of her reports were unjustified and favoured the Bosnian Muslims.

Her powerful and passionate reportage has impacted the whole world.

Amanpour said, of Journalism, “There are some situations one simply cannot be neutral about, because when you are neutral you are an accomplice. Objectivity doesn’t mean treating all sides equally. It means giving each side a hearing.”

She went to college, she studied Journalism, she fought for her chances and made the most of them.

And now she has the ear of the world. She’s earned her “voice”.

That is the awesome potential power of Journalism.

Amanpour is living proof. She was an unknown, who started with her degree and her guts.

If you want to have a chance to obtain a voice in our world— to speak out for all you know and believe— go get the degree!

You know the stories behind Keebler, Nabisco, Sarah lee, Panera, Great Harvest, Mrs Fields, so many famous names in baking.

Great fortunes have been made in bread. Empires have been founded upon the abundance and scarcity of bread.

You love baking— where food and creativity meet. Bread— where hunger and humanity meet. The scent of warm rising bread intoxicates you.

You don’t make the bread that fills our stores, bread made in giant factories.

Your bread is different. Very different. That’s why you’re a success.

For the last 12 years you’ve supplied hand crafted, artisan sourdoughs along with many other speciality breads, to top restaurants and hotels.

French and Italian Sourdoughs: Black Olive, Boule de Meule, Hazelnut & Raisin, Apple Sourdough, Potato & Rosemary, Russian Rye, San Francisco, Sultana and fennel sourdough.

You started with a degree in Nutrition and a minor in chemistry. But it was the summer work in a small bakery that really hooked you.

After college, you started on your own, worked hard, made amazing breads… within 2 years you outgrew your original building, hired more and more employees.

And now your managers run a plant employing several hundred workers, a dozen of them Master Bakers in their own right.

Your main line of whole grain bread is trucked all over North America. Your most exotic gourmet breads are shipped air express, all over the world.

Mastering the technology of bread has made you far more than merely financially secure. And now you want to give something back.

In your lab, the lump of sticky wet dough bubbles, breathes and multiplies. And not only does it multiply, it grows. Enzymes are released, rich in nutrition. Such a new bread could help feed an ever-expanding population, in a world of diminishing resources.

This carefully nurtured mixture of some of natures finest, yet most simple, ingredients is the essence of our sourdoughs: making the bread rise and giving it the characteristic sour taste and light chewy texture.

You have experimented, grown a new naturally fermented yeast, a startlingly prolific dough starter. You combined and nurtured it from wild yeasts, and you call it the “Father of Bread.”

Based on an old Egyptian fermenting process, you added yoghurt, stone ground rye flour, apple juice and grapes and you whisked it vigorously. Then you let nature take its course.

The bubbly elastic mixture started coming to life multiplying from the carbohydrates in the flour, juice and yoghurt moisture, along with the naturally occurring yeast spores which are in the air. You keep the sourdough starter fed daily with moisture and flour ensuring it will last forever.

In some societies a good bread starter is passed through generations. As yours is intended. But yours will be sent all over the globe.

You’re even experimenting with bread made of other grains— rice, millet, barley, bread to suit the taste of any culture.

A baker at your level participates in a broad range of complex, technical or professional work activities, performed in a wide variety of contexts with a substantial degree of personal responsibility and autonomy.

Responsibility for your bakers, and allocation of resources is the Master Baker’s world. You must have the technical and administrative skills necessary to operate and manage the production area of a full-line independent or in-store commercial bakery.

You must produce high quality bakery foods, with great command of the principles of sanitation, management, retail sales/merchandising and training.

The skills needed to be a Master Baker are little understood by the general public.

Bakers need to know about ingredients and nutrition, government health and sanitation regulations, business concepts, applied chemistry—including how ingredients combine and how they are affected by heat, and production processes, including how to operate and maintain machinery.

Bakers must have the skills necessary to utilize and program computers, for mass baking, with the high-speed automated equipment typically found in modern food plants.

Bakers mix and bake ingredients according to recipes to produce varying quantities of breads, pastries, and other baked goods. Bakers commonly are employed in grocery stores and specialty shops and produce small quantities of breads, pastries, and other baked goods for consumption on premises or for sale as specialty baked goods. While the quantities are often small, the varieties of bread usually are not.

Specialty handcrafted—or artisan—bread, comes with seeds, nuts, fruits, olives, and cheese, which can be included in a crusty loaf, round loaf, flat or even focaccia bread. Bakers can also add a variety of flavors, too, such as rosemary, pecan, fig, garlic, red pepper, sesame, and anise.

In manufacturing, bakers produce goods in large quantities, using high-volume mixing machines, ovens, and other equipment. Goods produced in large quantities usually are available for sale through distributors, grocery stores, supermarkets, or manufacturers’ outlets.

Bakers have the option of obtaining certification through the Retails Bakers of America. While not mandatory, obtaining certification assures the public and prospective employers that the baker has sufficient skills and knowledge to work at a retail baking establishment.

The Retail Bakers of America offer certification for four levels of competence with a focus on several broad areas, including baking sanitation, management, retail sales, and staff training. Those who wish to become certified must satisfy a combination of education and experience requirements prior to taking an examination.

The education and experience requirements vary by the level of certification desired. For example, a certified journey baker requires no formal education but a minimum of 1 year of work experience.

A certified Master Baker must have earned the certified baker designation, and must have completed 30 hours of sanitation coursework approved by a culinary school or government agency, 30 hours of professional development courses or workshops, and a minimum of 8 years of commercial or retail baking experience.

While high-volume production equipment limits the demand for lesser skilled bakers in manufacturing, overall employment of bakers, particularly highly skilled bakers, should increase 10 percent, about as fast as the average for all occupations, due to growing numbers of bakers in stores, specialty shops, and traditional bakeries.

In addition to the growing numbers of cookie, muffin, and cinnamon roll bakeries, the numbers of specialty bread and bagel shops have been growing, spurring demand for artisan bread and pastry bakers.

Highly skilled bakers should be especially in demand because of growing demand for specialty products and because of the time it takes to learn to make them.

Earnings vary by industry, skill, geographic region, and especially— your educational level.

Median annual earnings of bakers were $22,030 in May 2006.

The middle 50 percent earned between $17,720 and $28,190.

The highest 10 percent earned more than $35,380, and the lowest 10 percent earned less than $15,180.

Then there are the billionaire founders of great baking dynasties.

Contact your local college or university for information relating to degrees in nutrition, business, and chemistry.

Online learning can be of great benefit if you need to adjust your schedule due to home and employment responsibilities.

Bread is a staff of life and a core ingredient in the western diet.

Master Baker— where chemistry, biology, and innovation meet.

Bread is essential. The Master Baker is equally essential.

Bread will always be in demand. A life as a Master Baker, built upon solid educational knowledge, can lead all the way to the founding of a great corporate dynasty, or a boutique bakery with a loyal clientele.

For information on various levels of certification as a baker, contact:

• Retail Bakers of America, 8201 Greensboro Dr., Suite 300, McLean, VA, 22102

State employment service offices can provide information about job openings for food processing occupations.

He speaks a language you understand. But only you. The rest of the squad hears only his stress. He talks so fast that you miss a word now and then. It’s like listening to HipHop backward. But you get it. You and only you.

The squad on patrol wears armor, carries automatic weapons, and they are tired, disgusted, and they have seen too many of their buddies blown away. Someone inside the house with cracked walls is sobbing in terror. The day is hot and dry and dust is blowing and and flies drink your sweat.

The windows of the house are blocked from inside. That’s why the patrol stopped here.

“Ask him why the windows are blocked off,” says the Patrol Leader, a tough sergeant on her third tour. “What’s he hiding?”

You ask the man this. In his language, he says, “We cram old blankets and cardboard and hay into our windows to block the heat and light and noise, to give a little privacy.”

“That’s crap,” the Patrol Leader says. She’s lost two troopers in the past month. She no longer believes anything anybody says. “Tell him I’ll arrest him if he tries to stop us searching his house for weapons.”

You know she could be right. It might be a trick. A trap. An ambush.

You know the soldiers have seen it all. They don’t believe anybody except each other. They don’t speak the language. You don’t want them hurt.

You interpret and they wait, warily, sullenly, numbly, their weapons ready. Their night-vision goggles give them the aspect of ants from another world. The local old people are terrified of this, but the children laugh and call them bugs. Only you know what the kids are saying. The soldiers hate that.

“We’re going in,” says the Patrol Leader, losing patience. “Tell him not to resist and no big deal.”

Now other villagers have come out to stare. It’s well-known that every home has a hidden weapon. Bandits, renegades, so common. Every father keeps a gun hidden.

“Please believe me, sir,” says the man on his knees. He knows you are his only hope of being understood. “My children are crying, my mother is old, my father is sick. You say you come to free us all, yet you have shamed me on my knees. I have daughters inside. My mother. My father and grandfather. Do not search there. Please. To search women is a sin. To humiliate old people is a sin. Do this bad thing, and all my family, from every village, will repay this act in kind, in blood, as a sacred oath I swear it.”

You interpret, exactly. You speak alternately in two languages. The situation has gone from commonplace to very dangerous. You believe that every soldier should be required to speak the language of any country they invade, for their own protection, if nothing else. But they know barely a phrase or two.

You’re the only hope of every human here. More villagers are coming out to stare, to mutter among themselves.

In their language, they shout: “We know this man! He is a very good man! Why humble him like a cur?”

The soldiers have no idea what the shouts mean. The Patrol leader says, “Watch your 6, people.”

Hearing only the tone of aggression, the surrounded troopers move apart in combat spacing, turning to face the seeming threat. They lock and load their M4’s.

You are the only thing keeping back a colossal disaster. An incident here, this potential tragedy, could impact a thousand soldiers and ten thousand inhabitants of this land. You and only you can stop it. Only you can speak both languages.

You convince the patrol leader to try a different tact. “Let the man stand up. Offer him something, a little gift, anything.”

The Patrol Leader is smart, not softening, but seeing another way to get the job done. Gives him a melted Snickers. “Okay, I’ll play the cliche good guy.”

The man looks oddly at the candy bar, but is glad to be standing. The neighboring villagers seem to relax just a notch.

The squad shifts restlessly. They don’t want a fight but they are willing to do what they are here to do. One way or another. That’s what they do. It’s why they’re here.

You talk fast and keep talking, bridging two worlds. With the magic of your language skills, you communicate. It’s a dance of life or death.

You feel the tension lessen, defuse. You negotiate. If you can somehow just get the villager to invite the Patrol Leader into his home, maybe nobody will die.

You know all this because you are an interpreter.

Your power to translate is a gift of life. Because you have a degree in languages, you have stopped death here and now, in it’s tracks.

You enable the cross-cultural communication necessary in today’s society by converting one language into another. You do more than simply translate words— you relay concepts and ideas between languages.

You thoroughly understand the subject matter in which you work— in order to accurately convert information from one language, known as the source language, into another, the target language. And you are sensitive to the cultures associated with your languages of expertise.

Interpreters and translators are often discussed together because they share some common traits. For example, both must be fluent in at least two languages—a native, or active, language and a secondary, or passive, language; a small number of interpreters and translators are fluent in two or more passive languages. Their active language is the one that they know best and into which they interpret or translate, and their passive language is one for which they have nearly perfect knowledge.

Although some people do both, interpretation and translation are different professions. Interpreters deal with spoken words, translators with written words. Each task requires a distinct set of skills and aptitudes, and most people are better suited for one or the other. While interpreters often work into and from both languages, translators generally work only into their active language.

Interpreters convert one spoken language into another—or, in the case of sign-language interpreters, between spoken communication and sign language. This requires interpreters to pay attention carefully, understand what is communicated in both languages, and express thoughts and ideas clearly. Strong research and analytical skills, mental dexterity, and an exceptional memory also are important.

There are two types of interpretation: simultaneous and consecutive. Simultaneous interpretation requires interpreters to listen and speak (or sign) at the same time. In simultaneous interpretation, the interpreter begins to convey a sentence being spoken while the speaker is still talking.

Ideally, simultaneous interpreters should be so familiar with a subject that they are able to anticipate the end of the speaker’s sentence. Because they need a high degree of concentration, simultaneous interpreters work in pairs, with each interpreting for 20- to 30-minute periods. This type of interpretation is required at international conferences and is sometimes used in the courts.

In contrast to simultaneous interpretation’s immediacy, consecutive interpretation begins only after the speaker has verbalized a group of words or sentences. Consecutive interpreters often take notes while listening to the speakers, so they must develop some type of note-taking or shorthand system. This form of interpretation is used most often for person-to-person communication, during which the interpreter is positioned near both parties.

Translators convert written materials from one language into another. They must have excellent writing and analytical ability. And because the documents that they translate must be as flawless as possible, they also need good editing skills.

The way in which translators do their jobs has changed with advances in technology.

Today, nearly all translation work is done on a computer, and most assignments are received and submitted electronically. This enables translators to work from almost anywhere, and a large percentage of them work from home.

The Internet provides advanced research capabilities and valuable language resources, such as specialized dictionaries and glossaries. In some cases, use of machine-assisted translation—including memory tools that provide comparisons of previous translations with current work—helps save time and reduce repetition.

Conference interpreters work at conferences that have non-English-speaking attendees. This work includes international business and diplomacy, although conference interpreters interpret for any organization that works with foreign language speakers.

Employers prefer high-level interpreters who have the ability to translate from at least two passive languages into one active (native) language—for example, the ability to interpret from Spanish and French into English. For some positions, such as those with the United Nations, this qualification is mandatory.

Court interpreters work in a variety of legal settings, such as attorney-client meetings, preliminary hearings, depositions, trials, and arraignments. Success as a court interpreter requires an understanding of both legal terminology and colloquial language.

Literary translators adapt written literature from one language into another. They may translate any number of documents, including journal articles, books, poetry, and short stories. Literary translation is related to creative writing; literary translators must create a new text in the target language that reproduces the content and style of the original. Whenever possible, literary translators work closely with authors to best capture their intended meanings and literary characteristics.

This type of work often is done as a sideline by university professors; however, opportunities exist for well-established literary translators.

Localization translators constitute a relatively recent and rapidly expanding specialty. Localization involves the complete adaptation of a product for use in a different language and culture. At its earlier stages, this work dealt primarily with software localization, but the specialty has expanded to include the adaptation of Internet sites and products in manufacturing and other business sectors. The goal of these specialists is to make the product to appear as if it were originally manufactured in the country where it will be sold and supported.

Medical interpreters and translators provide language services to health care patients with limited English proficiency. Medical interpreters help patients to communicate with doctors, nurses, and other medical staff. Translators working in this specialty primarily convert patient materials and informational brochures issued by hospitals and medical facilities into the desired language. Medical interpreters need a strong grasp of medical and colloquial terminology in both languages, along with cultural sensitivity regarding how the patient receives the information. They must remain detached but aware of the patient’s feelings and pain.

Sign language interpreters facilitate communication between people who are deaf or hard of hearing and people who can hear. Sign language interpreters must be fluent in English and in American Sign Language (ASL), which combines signing, finger spelling, and specific body language. ASL has its own grammatical rules, sentence structure, idioms, historical contexts, and cultural nuances. Sign language interpreting, like foreign language interpreting, involves more than simply replacing a word of spoken English with a sign representing that word.

Self-employed and freelance interpreters and translators need general business skills to successfully manage their finances and careers. They must set prices for their work, bill customers, keep financial records, and market their services to attract new business and build their client base.

Interpreters and translators must be fluent in at least two languages.

Their educational backgrounds may vary widely, but most have a bachelor’s degree.

In high school, students can prepare for these careers by taking a broad range of courses that include English writing and comprehension, foreign languages, and basic computer proficiency. Other helpful pursuits include spending time abroad, engaging in direct contact with foreign cultures, and reading extensively on a variety of subjects in English and at least one other language.

Although a bachelor’s degree is often required, interpreters and translators note that it is acceptable to major in something other than a language. An educational background in a particular field of study provides a natural area of subject matter expertise.

Formal programs in interpreting and translation are available at colleges nationwide and through non-university training programs, conferences, and courses.

Many people who work as conference interpreters or in more technical areas—such as localization, engineering, or finance—have master’s degrees, while those working in the community as court or medical interpreters or translators are more likely to complete job-specific training programs.

Volunteer opportunities are available through community organizations, hospitals, and sporting events, such as marathons, that involve international competitors. The American Translators Association works with the Red Cross to provide volunteer interpreters in crisis situations. All translation can be used as examples for potential clients, even translation done as practice.

The American Translators Association provides certification in more than 24 language combinations for its members; other options include a certification program offered by The Translators and Interpreters Guild. Many interpreters are not certified.

Federal courts have certification for Spanish, Navajo, and Haitian Creole interpreters, and many State and municipal courts offer their own forms of certification. The National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators also offers certification for court interpreting.

The U.S. Department of State has a three-test series for interpreters, including simple consecutive interpreting (for escort work), simultaneous interpreting (for court or seminar work), and conference-level interpreting (for international conferences). These tests are not referred to directly as certification, but successful completion often indicates that a person has an adequate level of skill to work in the field.

The National Association of the Deaf and the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) jointly offer certification for general sign interpreters. In addition, the registry offers specialty tests in legal interpreting, speech reading, and deaf-to-deaf interpreting—which includes interpreting between deaf speakers with different native languages and from ASL to tactile signing.

Interpreters and translators held about 41,000 jobs in 2006. However, the actual number of interpreters and translators is probably significantly higher because many work in the occupation only sporadically.

Interpreters and translators are employed in a variety of industries, reflecting the diversity of employment options in the field. About 33 worked in public and private educational institutions, such as schools, colleges, and universities. About 12 worked in health care and social assistance, many of whom worked for hospitals. Another 10 worked in other areas of government, such as Federal, State and local courts. Other employers of interpreters and translators include publishing companies, telephone companies, airlines, and interpreting and translating agencies.

About 22 percent of interpreters and translators are self-employed. Many who freelance in the occupation work only part time, relying on other sources of income to supplement earnings from interpreting or translation.

Interpreters and translators can expect much faster than average employment growth over the next decade. Job prospects vary by specialty. Employment of interpreters and translators is projected to increase 24 percent over the 2006-16 decade, much faster than the average for all occupations.

This growth will be driven partly by strong demand in health care settings and work related to homeland security. Additionally, higher demand for interpreters and translators results directly from the broadening of international ties and the increase in the number of foreign language speakers in the United States. Both of these trends are expected to continue, contributing to relatively rapid growth in the number of jobs for interpreters and translators.

Current events and changing political environments, often difficult to foresee, will increase the need for people who can work with other languages. For example, homeland security needs are expected to drive increasing demand for interpreters and translators of Middle Eastern and North African languages, primarily in Federal Government agencies.

Demand will remain strong for translators of the languages referred to as “PFIGS”—Portuguese, French, Italian, German, and Spanish; Arabic and other Middle Eastern languages; and the principal Asian languages—Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Demand for American Sign Language interpreters will grow rapidly, driven by the increasing use of video relay services, which allow individuals to conduct video calls using a sign language interpreter over an Internet connection.

Technology has made the work of interpreters and translators easier. However, technology is not likely to have a negative impact on employment of interpreters and translators because such innovations are incapable of producing work comparable with work produced by these professionals.

Urban areas, especially Washington D.C., New York, and cities in California, provide the largest numbers of employment possibilities, especially for interpreters; however, as the immigrant population spreads into more rural areas, jobs in smaller communities will become more widely available.

Salaried interpreters and translators had median hourly earnings of $17.10 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $12.94 and $22.60. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $9.88, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $30.91.

Individuals classified as language specialists for the Federal Government earned an average of $76,287 annually in 2007.

Limited information suggests that some highly skilled interpreters and translators—for example, high-level conference interpreters—working full time can earn more than $100,000 annually.

Our rapidly shrinking global society demands ever faster means of universal communication. This is as true in politics, as it is in business, or any area of society.

Every university or college offers language programs in depth.

Online learning is an excellent tool for language degrees.

Our multi-cultural global economy — and our beast global social networking sites, like Facebook and Perfspot— all bring many opportunities for translators to learn, earn, and flourish.

Choose the language that suits you best.

Get a degree that truly empowers you. That helps our world become a little better, every time two cultures meet.

Bring an interface of understanding to a world stressed by ignorance, danger, and suspicion!

For general career information, contact:

• American Translators Association, 225 Reinekers Ln., Suite 590, Alexandria, VA 22314. Internet: http://www.atanet.org>

For more detailed information by specialty, contact the association affiliated with that subject area:

• American Literary Translators Association, The University of Texas at Dallas, Box 830688 Mail Station JO51, Richardson, TX 75083-0688. http://www.literarytranslators.org
• Localization Industry Standards Association, Domaine en Prael, CH-1323 Romainmôtier, Switzerland. http://www.lisa.org
• National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators, 603 Stewart St., Suite 610, Seattle, WA 98101. http://www.najit.org
• National Council on Interpreting in Health Care, 270 West Lawrence St., Albany, NY 12208. http://www.ncihc.org
• Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, 333 Commerce St., Alexandria, VA 22314. http://www.rid.org

For information about testing to become a contract interpreter or translator with the U.S. State Department, contact:

• U.S. Department of State, Office of Language Services, 2401 E St. NW., SA-1, Room H1400, Washington, DC 20520-2204

Information on obtaining positions as interpreters and translators with the Federal Government is available from the Office of Personnel Management through USAJOBS, the Federal Government’s official employment information system. This resource is at http://www.usajobs.opm.gov, or through an interactive voice response telephone system at (703) 724-1850 or TDD (978) 461-8404. These numbers are not toll free, and charges may result.

The deck of a ship has taken you all over the planet. You have good friends in so many ports.

You never expected to learn another language, when you were younger, and now you speak half a dozen, well enough to have had plenty of adventures on your own.

Rotterdam, New York, Dover, Shanghai, Hamburg, Long Beach, Honk Kong, Busan, Ningbo, Marseilles, Dubai, Antwerp, South Louisiana… you’ve got stories for them all.

Your knowledge of the sea, and your technical mastery of the big ships that sail them, has brought you a good living and a tidy pension, too.

Any of the big shipping companies would grab you if you left the captaincy of your line. But you won’t. They prize you too highly. Your education has served you well.

When you visit home, you return to a dry-land town in the Midwest (where you grew up, far from any ocean.) Maybe that’s what made you study, get your Bachelor of Science, and your Ship Pilot’s License.

The romance of the big oceans. The space out there. The mystery of each new port, and the people of that land. The excitement of discovery, never fading.

Professional sailors and merchant mariners experience foreign travel— and the astonishingly rich variety of life in exotic lands— more than almost any other occupation.

Entry, training, and educational requirements for many water transportation occupations are established and regulated by the U.S. Coast Guard. Faster-than-average growth and good job opportunities are expected.

The movement of huge amounts of cargo, as well as passengers, between nations and within our Nation depends on workers in water transportation occupations, also known on commercial ships as merchant mariners. They operate and maintain deep-sea merchant ships, tugboats, towboats, ferries, dredges, offshore supply vessels, excursion vessels, and other waterborne craft on the oceans, the Great Lakes, rivers, canals, and other waterways, as well as in harbors.

Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels command or supervise the operations of ships and water vessels, both within domestic waterways and on the deep sea.

Captains or masters are in overall command of the operation of a vessel, and they supervise the work of all other officers and crew. Together with their department heads, captains ensure that proper procedures and safety practices are followed, check to make sure that machinery and equipment are in good working order, and oversee the loading and discharging of cargo or passengers. They also maintain logs and other records tracking the ships’ movements, efforts at controlling pollution, and cargo and passengers carried.

Deck officers or mates direct the routine operation of the vessel for the captain during the shifts when they are on watch. On smaller vessels, there may be only one mate (called a pilot on some inland towing vessels), who alternates watches with the captain. The mate would assume command of the ship if the captain became incapacitated. When more than one mate is necessary aboard a ship, they typically are designated chief mate or first mate, second mate, third mate, etc. Mates also supervise and coordinate activities of the crew aboard the ship.

Captains and mates determine the course and speed of the vessel, maneuvering to avoid hazards and continuously monitoring the vessel’s position with charts and navigational aides. Captains and mates oversee crew members who steer the vessel, determine its location, operate engines, communicate with other vessels, perform maintenance, handle lines, and operate equipment on the vessel. They inspect the cargo holds during loading to ensure that the load is stowed according to specifications and regulations. Captains and mates also supervise crew members engaged in maintenance and the primary upkeep of the vessel.

Pilots guide ships in and out of harbors, through straits, and on rivers and other confined waterways where a familiarity with local water depths, winds, tides, currents, and hazards such as reefs and shoals are of prime importance. Pilots on river and canal vessels usually are regular crew members, like mates. Harbor pilots are generally independent contractors who accompany vessels while they enter or leave port. Harbor pilots may pilot many ships in a single day.

Ship engineers operate, maintain, and repair propulsion engines, boilers, generators, pumps, and other machinery. Merchant marine vessels usually have four engineering officers: A chief engineer and a first, second, and third assistant engineer. Assistant engineers stand periodic watches, overseeing the safe operation of engines and machinery.
Marine oilers and more experienced qualified members of the engine department, or QMEDs, assist the engineers to maintain the vessel in proper running order in the engine spaces below decks. These workers lubricate gears, shafts, bearings, and other moving parts of engines and motors; read pressure and temperature gauges; record data; and sometimes assist with repairs and adjust machinery.

A typical deep-sea merchant ship has a captain, three deck officers or mates, a chief engineer and three assistant engineers, plus six or more seamen, such as able seamen, oilers, QMEDs, and a cook. The size and service of the ship determine the number of crew members for a particular voyage. Small vessels operating in harbors, on rivers, or along the coast may have a crew comprising only a captain and one deckhand. On smaller vessels the cooking responsibilities usually fall under the deckhands’ duties.

On larger coastal ships, the crew may include a captain, a mate or pilot, an engineer, and seven or eight seamen. Some ships may have special unlicensed positions for entry level apprentice trainees. Unlicensed positions on a large ship may include a full-time cook, an electrician, and machinery mechanics.

Motorboat operators operate small, motor-driven boats that carry six or fewer passengers on fishing charters. They also take depth soundings in turning basins and serve as liaisons between ships, between ship and shore, between harbors and beaches, or on area patrol.

Water transportation workers’ schedules vary based upon the type of ship and length of voyage. While on the water, crews are normally on duty for half of the day, 7 days a week.
Merchant mariners on survey and long distance cargo vessels can spend extended periods at sea. Most deep-sea mariners are hired for one or more voyages that last for several months; there is no job security after that. The length of time between voyages varies depending on job availability and personal preference.

Workers on supply vessels transport workers, supplies (water, drilling mud, fuel, and food), and equipment to oil and gas drilling platforms mostly in the Gulf of Mexico. Their voyages can last a few hours to a couple of weeks. As oil and gas exploration pushes into deeper waters, these trips take more time.

Workers on tugs and barges operate on the rivers, lakes, inland waterways, and along the coast. Most tugs have two crews and operate constantly. The crews will alternate, each working for 2-3 weeks and then taking 2-3 weeks off.

Many of those employed on Great Lakes ships work 60 days and have 30 days off, but do not work in the winter when the lakes are frozen. Others work steadily for a week or a month and then have an extended period off. Those on smaller vessels, such as tugs, supply boats and Great Lakes ships, are normally assigned to one vessel and have steady employment.

Workers on ferries transporting commuters work on weekdays in the morning and evening. Other ferries make frequent trips lasting a few hours. Ferries servicing vacation destinations often operate on seasonal schedules. Workers in harbors generally have year-round work. Work in harbors and on ferries is sought after because workers return home every day.

People holding water transportation jobs work in all kinds of weather, except when frozen waters make travel impossible. Although merchant mariners try to avoid severe storms while at sea, working in damp and cold conditions often is inevitable. While it is uncommon for vessels to suffer disasters such as fire, explosion, or a sinking, workers face the possibility that they may have to abandon their craft on short notice if it collides with other vessels or runs aground. They also risk injury or death from falling overboard and hazards associated with working with machinery, heavy loads, and dangerous cargo. However, modern safety management procedures, advanced emergency communications, and effective international rescue systems have greatly improved mariner safety.

Many companies are working to improve the living conditions on vessels to reduce employee turnover. Most of the Nation’s newest vessels are air conditioned, soundproofed to reduce machinery noise, and equipped with comfortable living quarters. Some companies have added improved entertainment systems and hired full-time cooks. These amenities lessen the difficulty of spending long periods away from home. Advances in communications, particularly e-mail, better link mariners to their families. Nevertheless, some mariners dislike the long periods away from home and the confinement aboard ship and consequently leave the occupation.

Entry, training, and educational requirements for many water transportation occupations are established and regulated by the U.S. Coast Guard. Most officers and operators of commercially operated vessels must be licensed by the Coast Guard, which offers various kinds of licenses, depending on the position, body of water, and type of vessel. Individuals must be relicensed when they change the type of ship or the body of water they are on. Entry-level workers are classified as ordinary seamen or deckhands. Workers take some basic training, lasting a few days, in areas such as first aid and firefighting.

There are two paths of education and training for a deck officer or an engineer: applicants must either accumulate thousands of hours of experience while working as a deckhand, or graduate from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy or another maritime academy. In both cases, applicants must pass a written examination.

It is difficult to pass the examination without substantial formal schooling or independent study.

The academies offer a 4-year academic program leading to a bachelor-of-science degree, a license (issued only by the Coast Guard) as a third mate (deck officer) or third assistant engineer (engineering officer), and, if the person chooses, a commission as ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve, Merchant Marine Reserve, or Coast Guard Reserve. With experience and additional training, third officers may qualify for higher rank.

Generally officers on deep water vessels are academy graduates and those in supply boats, inland waterways, and rivers rose to their positions through years of experience.

Harbor pilot training usually consists of an extended apprenticeship with a towing company or a harbor pilots’ association. Entrants may be able seamen or licensed officers.
Licensure. Coast Guard licensing requirements vary by occupational specialty, type of vessel, and by body of water (river, inland waterway, Great Lakes, and oceans.) The requirements increase as the skill level of the occupational specialty increases and the size of the vessel increases.

Entry level seamen or deckhands on vessels operating in harbors or on rivers or other waterways do not need a license. All others working on larger, ocean-going vessels do need a license. To get the basic entry level license, workers must pass a drug screen, take a medical exam, and be U.S. citizens.

Workers on ocean-going or Great Lakes vessels need specialty licenses to work as engineering officers, or deck officers. On rivers or inland waterways, only the captain or anyone who steers the boat needs a license. For more information on licensing requirements see the Coast Guard’s Web site listed in the sources of additional information. Radio operators are licensed by the Federal Communications Commission.

Most positions require excellent health, good vision, and color perception. Good general physical condition is needed because many jobs require the ability to lift heavy objects, withstand heat and cold, stand or stoop for long periods of time, dexterity to maneuver through tight spaces, and good balance on uneven and wet surfaces and in rough water.

Experience and passing exams are required to advance. Deckhands who wish to advance must decide whether they want to work in the wheelhouse or the engine room. They will then assist the engineers or deck officers. With experience, assistant engineers and deck offices can advance to become chief engineers or captains. On smaller boats, such as tugs, a captain may choose to become self-employed by buying a boat and working as an owner-operator.

Water transportation workers held more than 84,000 jobs in 2006.
(The total number who worked at some point in the year was significantly larger because many merchant marine officers and seamen worked only part of the year. )

About 40 percent of all workers were employed in water transportation services. About 17 percent worked in inland water transportation—primarily the Mississippi River system—while the other 23 percent were employed in water transportation on the deep seas, along the coasts, and on the Great Lakes. Another 24 percent worked in establishments related to port and harbor operations, marine cargo handling, or navigational services to shipping. Governments employed 9 percent of all water transportation workers, many of whom worked on supply ships and are civilian mariners of the Navy Department’s Military Sealift Command.

Employment in water transportation occupations is projected to grow faster than average. Good job opportunities are expected. Employment in water transportation occupations is projected to grow 16 percent over the 2006-2016 period, faster than the average for all occupations.

Job growth will stem from increasing tourism and growth in offshore oil and gas production. Employment will also increase in and around major port cities due to rapidly increasing international trade.

Employment in deep-sea shipping for American mariners is expected to remain stable. A fleet of deep-sea U.S.-flagged ships is considered vital to the Nation’s defense, so some receive Federal support through a maritime security subsidy and other provisions in laws that limit certain Federal cargoes to ships that fly the U.S. flag.

Employment growth also is expected in passenger cruise ships within U.S. waters. Vessels that operate between U.S. ports are required by law to be U.S.-flagged vessels. The staffing needs for several new U.S. flagged cruise ships that will travel to the Hawaiian Islands will create new opportunities for employment. In addition, increasing use of ferries to handle commuter traffic around major metropolitan areas should increase employment.

Some growth in water transportation occupations is projected in vessels operating in the Great Lakes and inland waterways. Growth will be driven by increasing demand for bulk products, such as coal, iron ore, petroleum, sand and gravel, grain, and chemicals. Since current pipelines cannot transport ethanol, some growth will come from shipping ethanol. Problems with congestion in the rail transportation system will increase demand for inland water transportation.

Job prospects are good. Job opportunities will result from growth and the need to replace those leaving the occupation. Most water transportation occupations require workers to be away from home for extended periods of time, causing some to leave these jobs.

Maritime academy graduates who have not found licensed shipboard jobs in the U.S. merchant marine find jobs in related industries.

Many academy graduates are ensigns in the Naval or Coast Guard Reserve; some are selected or apply for active duty in those branches of the Service. Some find jobs as seamen on U.S.-flagged or foreign-flagged vessels, tugboats, and other watercraft or enter civilian jobs with the U.S. Navy or Coast Guard. Some take land-based jobs with shipping companies, marine insurance companies, manufacturers of boilers or related machinery, or other related jobs.

Earnings vary widely with the particular water transportation position and the worker’s experience. Earnings are higher than most other occupations with similar educational requirements for entry-level positions. While wages are lower for sailors than for mates and engineers, sailors’ on-board experience is important for advancing into those higher paying positions. Workers are normally paid by the day. Since companies provide food and housing at sea and it is difficult to spend money while working, sailors are able to save a large portion of their pay.

Median annual wage-and-salary earnings of sailors and marine oilers were $30,630 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $23,790 and $39,830. The lowest 10 percent had earnings of less than $19,220, while the top 10 percent earned over $49,650.

Median annual wage-and-salary earnings of captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels were $53,430 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $38,880 and $69,570. The lowest 10 percent had earnings of less than $29,360, while the top 10 percent earned over $89,230.

Annual pay for captains of larger vessels, such as container ships, oil tankers, or passenger ships may exceed $100,000, but only after many years of experience. Similarly, earnings of captains of tugboats are dependent on the port and the nature of the cargo.

Median annual wage-and-salary earnings of ship engineers were $54,820 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $41,190 and $74,360. The lowest 10 percent had earnings of less than $34,140, while the top 10 percent earned over $92,860.

Have you dreamed of seeing the world? Of exploring the far corners of our blue water-covered planet?

Would you love a life of roving, and being well-paid for the challenge of each day on a ship, each visit in a new port?

Then explore your options first, with the knowledge obtained from higher education.

Get the degree that will put your aboard the adventure of your lifetime.

Information on a program called “Careers Afloat”, which includes a substantial listing of training and employment information and contacts in the U.S., may be obtained through:

• Maritime Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 7th St. SW., Room 7302, Washington, DC 20590. http://www.marad.dot.gov/acareerafloat

Information on merchant marine careers, training, and licensing requirements is available from:

• U.S. Coast Guard National Maritime Center, 4200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 630, Arlington, VA 22203-1804. http://www.uscg.mil/stcw/index.htm

Information on careers with the Military Sealift Command can be found at:

• Military Sealift Command, CIVMAR Support Center, 6353 Center Drive, Building 8, Suite 202, Norfolk, VA 23502. http://www.sealiftcommand.com

You’re heading for the faculty lot when you see them.

At the far end of the student lot, the rear doors of a beat old white van are half open. The two students stand just inside them doing something. Standing in the rain in black raincoats, both of them. James half a foot shorter than Robert. James always has a nervous scared puppy smile. Robert never smiles, as if he’s staring far off, like seeing something nobody else can ever really see. They look at you that way now.

At the old rusty van they see you slowing your car. Robert pulls the van doors inward, to hide whatever they are doing.

You knew the taller student, James, throughout his tortured years in your school, a spindly shy boy, constantly bullied by the jocks. But the new student, Robert, his new best friend, refused counseling, and never came into your office. James has never seemed happier though, since he met Robert. Something happened one day behind the boy’s gym, you aren’t sure what. Nobody would talk, but Robert was messed up and a couple of the jocks had broken noses. And nobody ever bothered James after that, for the first time in his wretched young life.

Now, through your rain-beaded windshield, you see the shotgun.

Just the black buttstock, in James’ hands, and Robert glares at James and grabs it back, hides the shotgun under his own coat.

Your eyes blink, you feel that robot feeling. The feeling that something is happening too soon, to somebody else. Your foot is on the brake. You pull your car in beside the van.

But even as you start getting out, Robert is at your door, looking down at you. His rain-dripping eyes glitter. He’s smiling. Then James is there, with his puppy look, watching Robert, trying to please Robert.

Now you see, James is holding a pistol in each bony little hand. Rain runs down his raincoat sleeves, dripping off the muzzles. The boy makes no effort to hide them. He wants you to see the pistols, you realize. You think how James has never had control of anything before. Not even his own face. You remember all the sessions you had with him bawling, in your office after being taunted, bullied, abused, taking him out to a ball game that time. But that’s all gone now. Somehow, terribly, you know, today is his day.

But it’s not James you speak to. Robert’s presence in your open car door is almost demonic with some kind of hidden power.

Robert is looking right through you. Your windshield wipers keep slapping.

You hear yourself say, like a voice from another world: “Robert, are you all right?”

“Don’t go inside the school,” Robert says to you. James watches Robert and says nothing.

It’s like being hit with a fist, the way Robert’s eyes focus on your eyes. His lips slide open, tight, and then his yellow teeth show. It’s the first time you’ve ever seen him smile, and he looks completely different. Something long and bulky is under his black rain coat.

Robert pumps the slide of the shotgun, bringing it out in the open from inside his coat. It’s like a movie in slow mouton, a bad dream.

And Robert says, “You’re not a bad person. You don’t need to be in there, not this morning, okay?”

You are a Mental Health Counselor. Many lives hinge upon whatever you say and do next.

You weigh the world in its balances. You know you have credit with James. But Robert is the leader. An unknown. Your mind races through his files. Transfer. Four schools in three years. Possible abuse at home. Assault misdemeanors at every school. Brilliant in art and math, when he wants to be, indifferent straight F’s in everything else.

You open your car door wider. Just a bit, hoping… Robert lifts the black death-hole of the shotgun to your face, still smiling. His face looks so old, for a boy. What has he seen? His smile scares you more even than the shotgun, you realize, so oddly.

And he says, “Don’t you get out of that damn car. Did you hear me? I’m giving you your one chance.”

Everything you learned getting your master’s degree, everything you’ve learned from the hundreds of students you’ve known, it’s all on the line now. The lives of teachers and students in the school. Your life. The lives of these two boys. Maybe the lives of police officers, the security guard, and God knows who else…

And now, knowing you have to try, you move. OmyGod, help me help them.

With what you hope will work already forming in your mind, you face his lifted shotgun, and you step out of your car into the rain…

“Please,” Robert says, “you don’t need to be part of this.”

You hold his eye contact, you must. It’s who you are. It’s what you are. No one else is here.

And your compassion, your training, your professionalism, wells up inside you… you feel compassion, now, not fear.

You are a valuable person, and I care…

Counselors assist people with personal, family, educational, mental health, and career problems. Their duties vary greatly depending on their occupational specialty, which is determined by the setting in which they work and the population they serve.

A master’s degree generally is required to become a licensed counselor.

Job opportunities for counselors should be very good because job openings are expected to exceed the number of graduates from counseling programs. The health care and social assistance industry employs about 47 percent of counselors, and state and local government employ about 11 percent.

Educational, vocational, and school counselors provide individuals and groups with career and educational counseling. School counselors assist students of all levels, from elementary school to postsecondary education. They advocate for students and work with other individuals and organizations to promote the academic, career, personal, and social development of children and youth. School counselors help students evaluate their abilities, interests, talents, and personalities to develop realistic academic and career goals.

Counselors use interviews, counseling sessions, interest and aptitude assessment tests, and other methods to evaluate and advise students. They also operate career information centers and career education programs. Often, counselors work with students who have academic and social development problems or other special needs.

Elementary school counselors observe children during classroom and play activities and confer with their teachers and parents to evaluate the children’s strengths, problems, or special needs. In conjunction with teachers and administrators, they make sure that the curriculum addresses both the academic and the developmental needs of students. Elementary school counselors do less vocational and academic counseling than high school counselors.

High school counselors advise students regarding college majors, admission requirements, entrance exams, financial aid, trade or technical schools, and apprenticeship programs. They help students develop job search skills, such as resume writing and interviewing techniques. College career planning and placement counselors assist alumni or students with career development and job-hunting techniques.

School counselors at all levels help students to understand and deal with social, behavioral, and personal problems. These counselors emphasize preventive and developmental counseling to provide students with the life skills needed to deal with problems before they worsen and to enhance students’ personal, social, and academic growth. Counselors provide special services, including alcohol and drug prevention programs and conflict resolution classes. They also try to identify cases of domestic abuse and other family problems that can affect a student’s development.

Counselors interact with students individually, in small groups, or as an entire class. They consult and collaborate with parents, teachers, school administrators, school psychologists, medical professionals, and social workers to develop and implement strategies to help students succeed.

Vocational counselors, also called employment or career counselors, provide mainly career counseling outside the school setting. Their chief focus is helping individuals with career decisions. Vocational counselors explore and evaluate the client’s education, training, work history, interests, skills, and personality traits. They may arrange for aptitude and achievement tests to help the client make career decisions. They also work with individuals to develop their job-search skills and assist clients in locating and applying for jobs. In addition, career counselors provide support to people experiencing job loss, job stress, or other career transition issues.

Rehabilitation counselors help people deal with the personal, social, and vocational effects of disabilities. They counsel people with disabilities resulting from birth defects, illness or disease, accidents, or other causes. They evaluate the strengths and limitations of individuals, provide personal and vocational counseling, and arrange for medical care, vocational training, and job placement. Rehabilitation counselors interview both individuals with disabilities and their families, evaluate school and medical reports, and confer with physicians, psychologists, occupational therapists, and employers to determine the capabilities and skills of the individual. They develop rehabilitation programs by conferring with clients; these programs often include training to help clients develop job skills. Rehabilitation counselors also work toward increasing the client’s capacity to live independently.

Mental health counselors work with individuals, families, and groups to address and treat mental and emotional disorders and to promote mental health. They are trained in a variety of therapeutic techniques used to address issues, including depression, addiction and substance abuse, suicidal impulses, stress, problems with self-esteem, and grief. They also help with job and career concerns, educational decisions, issues related to mental and emotional health, and family, parenting, marital, or other relationship problems.

Mental health counselors often work closely with other mental health specialists, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers, psychiatric nurses, and school counselors.

Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors help people who have problems with alcohol, drugs, gambling, and eating disorders. They counsel individuals who are addicted to drugs, helping them to identify behaviors and problems related to their addiction. Counseling can be done on an individual basis, but is frequently done in a group setting. These counselors will often also work with family members who are affected by the addictions of their loved ones. Counselors also conduct programs aimed at preventing addictions.

Marriage and family therapists apply family systems theory, principals and techniques to individuals, families, and couples to resolve emotional conflicts. In doing so, they modify people’s perceptions and behaviors, enhance communication and understanding among family members, and help to prevent family and individual crises. Marriage and family therapists also may engage in psychotherapy of a non-medical nature, make appropriate referrals to psychiatric resources, perform research, and teach courses about human development and interpersonal relationships.

Other counseling specialties include gerontological, multicultural, and genetic counseling. A gerontological counselor provides services to elderly people and their families as they face changing lifestyles. Genetic counselors provide information and support to families who have members with birth defects or genetic disorders and to families who may be at risk for a variety of inherited conditions. These counselors identify families at risk, interpret information about the disorder, analyze inheritance patterns and risks of recurrence, and review available options with the family.

Work environment can vary greatly depending on occupational specialty. School counselors work predominantly in schools, where they usually have an office but also may work in classrooms. Other counselors may work in a private practice, community health organization, or hospital. Many counselors work in an office where they see clients throughout the day. Because privacy is essential for confidential and frank discussions with clients, counselors usually have private offices.

The work schedules of counselors depend on occupational specialty and work setting. Some school counselors work the traditional 9- to 10-month school year with a 2- to 3-month vacation, but increasing numbers, are employed on 11-month or full-year contracts, particularly those working in middle and high schools. They usually work the same hours as teachers, but they may travel more frequently to attend conferences and conventions. College career planning and placement counselors work long and irregular hours during student recruiting periods.

Rehabilitation counselors usually work a standard 40-hour week. Self-employed counselors and those working in mental health and community agencies, such as substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors, frequently work evenings to counsel clients who work during the day. Both mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists also often work flexible hours to accommodate families in crisis or working couples who must have evening or weekend appointments.

Education requirements vary based on occupational specialty and State licensure and certification requirements. A master’s degree is usually required to be licensed as a counselor. Some States require counselors in public employment to have a master’s degree; others accept a bachelor’s degree with appropriate counseling courses. Counselor education programs in colleges and universities are often found in departments of education or psychology.

Fields of study include college student affairs, elementary or secondary school counseling, education, gerontological counseling, marriage and family therapy, substance abuse counseling, rehabilitation counseling, agency or community counseling, clinical mental health counseling, career counseling, and related fields. Courses are often grouped into eight core areas: human growth and development, social and cultural diversity, relationships, group work, career development, assessment, research and program evaluation, and professional identity. In an accredited master’s degree program, 48 to 60 semester hours of graduate study, including a period of supervised clinical experience in counseling, are required.

Some employers provide training for newly hired counselors. Others may offer time off or tuition assistance to complete a graduate degree. Often counselors must participate in graduate studies, workshops, and personal studies to maintain their certificates and licenses.

Licensure requirements differ greatly by State, occupational specialty, and work setting. Many States require school counselors to hold a State school counseling certification and to have completed at least some graduate course work; most require the completion of a master’s degree. Some States require school counselors to be licensed, which generally requires continuing education credits. Some States require public school counselors to have both counseling and teaching certificates and to have had some teaching experience.

For counselors based outside of schools, 49 States and the District of Columbia have some form of counselor licensure that governs the practice of counseling. Requirements typically include the completion of a master’s degree in counseling, the accumulation of 2 years or 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience beyond the master’s degree level, the passage of a State-recognized exam, adherence to ethical codes and standards, and the completion of annual continuing education requirements. However, counselors working in certain settings or in a particular specialty may face different licensure requirements. For example, a career counselor working in private practice may need a license, but a counselor working for a college career center may not. In addition, substance abuse and behavior disorder counselors are generally governed by a different State agency or board than other counselors. The criteria for their licensure vary greatly and in some cases, these counselors may only need a high school diploma and certification. Those interested in entering the field must research State and specialty requirements to determine what qualifications they must have.

People interested in counseling should have a strong desire to help others and should be able to inspire respect, trust, and confidence. They should be able to work independently or as part of a team. Counselors must follow the code of ethics associated with their respective certifications and licenses.

Counselors must possess high physical and emotional energy to handle the array of problems that they address. Dealing daily with these problems can cause stress.

Certification and advancement. Some counselors elect to be certified by the National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc., which grants a general practice credential of National Certified Counselor.

To be certified, a counselor must hold a master’s degree with a concentration in counseling from a regionally accredited college or university; have at least 2 years of supervised field experience in a counseling setting (graduates from counselor education programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs are exempted); provide two professional endorsements, one of which must be from a recent supervisor; and must have a passing score on the board’s examination. This national certification is voluntary and is distinct from State licensing. However, in some States, those who pass the national exam are exempted from taking a State certification exam. The board also offers specialty certifications in school, clinical mental health, and addiction counseling. These specialty certifications require passage of a supplemental exam. To maintain their certifications, counselors retake and pass the exam or complete 100 credit hours of acceptable continuing education every 5 years.

The Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification offers voluntary national certification for rehabilitation counselors. Many State and local governments and other employers require rehabilitation counselors to have this certification. To become certified, rehabilitation counselors usually must graduate from an accredited educational program, complete an internship, and pass a written examination. Certification requirements vary, however, according to an applicant’s educational history. Employment experience, for example, is required for those with a counseling degree in a specialty other than rehabilitation. To maintain their certification, counselors must successfully retake the certification exam or complete 100 credit hours of acceptable continuing education every 5 years.

Prospects for advancement vary by counseling field. School counselors can become directors or supervisors of counseling, guidance, or pupil personnel services; or, usually with further graduate education, become counselor educators, counseling psychologists, or school administrators. Some counselors choose to work for a State’s department of education.

Some marriage and family therapists, especially those with doctorates in family therapy, become supervisors, teachers, researchers, or advanced clinicians in the discipline. Counselors may also become supervisors or administrators in their agencies. Some counselors move into research, consulting, or college teaching or go into private or group practice. Some may choose to pursue a doctoral degree to improve their chances for advancement.

Educational, vocational, and school counselors work primarily in elementary and secondary schools and colleges and universities. Other types of counselors work in a wide variety of public and private establishments, including healthcare facilities; job training, career development, and vocational rehabilitation centers; social agencies; correctional institutions; and residential care facilities, such as halfway houses for criminal offenders and group homes for children, the elderly, and the disabled. Some substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors work in therapeutic communities where people with addictions live while undergoing treatment. Counselors also work in organizations engaged in community improvement and social change, drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs, and State and local government agencies.

A growing number of counselors are self-employed and work in group practices or private practice, due in part to new laws allowing counselors to be paid for their services by insurance companies and to the growing recognition that counselors are well-trained, effective professionals.

Employment for counselors is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2016. However, job growth will vary by location and occupational specialty. Job prospects should be good due to growth and the need to replace people leaving the field.

Employment of substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors is expected to grow 34 percent, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. As society becomes more knowledgeable about addiction, it is increasingly common for people to seek treatment. Furthermore, drug offenders are increasingly being sent to treatment programs rather than jail.

Employment for educational, vocational and school counselors is expected to grow 13 percent, which is about as fast as the average for all occupations. Demand for vocational or career counselors should grow as multiple job and career changes become common and as workers become increasingly aware of counseling services. In addition, State and local governments will employ growing numbers of counselors to assist beneficiaries of welfare programs who exhaust their eligibility and must find jobs. Other opportunities for employment of counselors will arise in private job-training centers that provide training and other services to laid-off workers and others seeking to acquire new skills or careers.

Demand for school counselors may increase due in large part to increases in student enrollments at postsecondary schools and colleges and as more States require elementary schools to employ counselors. Expansion of the responsibilities of school counselors should also lead to increases in their employment. For example, counselors are becoming more involved in crisis and preventive counseling, helping students deal with issues ranging from drug and alcohol abuse to death and suicide. Although schools and governments realize the value of counselors in helping their students to achieve academic success, budget constraints at every school level will dampen job growth of school counselors. Federal grants and subsidies may help to offset tight budgets and allow the reduction in student-to-counselor ratios to continue.

Employment of mental health counselors is expected to grow by 30 percent, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. Mental health counselors will be needed to staff statewide networks that are being established to improve services for children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances and for their families. Under managed care systems, insurance companies are increasingly providing for reimbursement of counselors as a less costly alternative to psychiatrists and psychologists.

Jobs for rehabilitation counselors are expected to grow by 23 percent, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. The number of people who will need rehabilitation counseling is expected to grow as advances in medical technology allow more people to survive injury or illness and live independently again. In addition, legislation requiring equal employment rights for people with disabilities will spur demand for counselors, who not only help these people make a transition to the workforce but also help companies to comply with the law.

Marriage and family therapists will experience growth of 30 percent, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. This is due in part to an increased recognition of the field. It is more common for people to seek help for their marital and family problems than it was in the past.

Job prospects vary greatly based on the occupational specialty. Prospects for rehabilitation counselors are excellent because many people are leaving the field or retiring. Furthermore, opportunities are very good in substance abuse and behavioral disorder counseling because relatively low wages and long hours make recruiting new entrants difficult. For school counselors, job prospects should be good because many people are leaving the occupation to retire; however, opportunities may be more favorable in rural and urban areas, rather than the suburbs, because it is often difficult to recruit people to these areas.

Median annual earnings of wage and salary educational, vocational, and school counselors in May 2006 were $47,530. The middle 50 percent earned between $36,120 and $60,990. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $27,240, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $75,920. School counselors can earn additional income working summers in the school system or in other jobs.

Median annual earnings of wage and salary substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors in May 2006 were $34,040. The middle 50 percent earned between $27,330 and $42,650. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $22,600, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $52,340.

Median annual earnings of wage and salary mental health counselors in May 2006 were $34,380. The middle 50 percent earned between $26,780 and $45,610. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $21,890, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $59,700.

Median annual earnings of wage and salary rehabilitation counselors in May 2006 were $29,200. The middle 50 percent earned between $22,980 and $39,000. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $19,260, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $53,170.

For substance abuse, mental health, and rehabilitation counselors, government employers generally pay the highest wages, followed by hospitals and social service agencies. Residential care facilities often pay the lowest wages.

Median annual earnings of wage and salary marriage and family therapists in May 2006 were $43,210. The middle 50 percent earned between $32,950 and $54,150. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $25,280, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $69,050. Median annual earnings were $36,020 in individual and family social services, the industry employing the largest number of marriage and family therapists.

Self-employed counselors who have well-established practices, as well as counselors employed in group practices, usually have the highest earnings.

For a stunning number of people in our dehumanized industrial society, mental health counseling is their only lifeline to survival, both mentally and emotionally.

As our society struggles and our population expands, the need for mental health counseling is enormous, and growing rapidly.

If you feel strongly that you are the kind of person who would spend a life as a lifeline of sanity, to hundreds of desperate people, find the degree program near you, or online, that suits you best.

There are so many damaged lives, and no time to waste.

For general information about counseling, as well as information on specialties such as college, mental health, rehabilitation, multicultural, career, marriage and family, and gerontological counseling, contact:

• American Counseling Association, 5999 Stevenson Ave., Alexandria, VA 22304. http://www.counseling.org

For information on school counselors, contact:

• American School Counselors Association, 1101 King St., Suite 625, Alexandria, VA 22314. http://www.schoolcounselor.org

For information on mental health counselors, contact:

• American Mental Health Counselors Association, 801 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 304, Alexandria, VA 22314. http://www.amhca.org

For information on marriage and family therapists, contact:

• American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, 112 South Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 http://www.aamft.org

For information on accredited counseling and related training programs, contact:

• Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, American Counseling Association, 5999 Stevenson Ave., 4th floor, Alexandria, VA 22304. http://www.cacrep.org

For information on national certification requirements for counselors, contact:

• National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc, 3 Terrace Way, Suite D, Greensboro, NC 27403. http://www.nbcc.org

An hour ago, you woke and got out of bed, with a vision forming on your mental canvas, like a colossal sculpture. A sculpture made of land itself.

You drove out before sunrise to walk the land again. The night chill is still on the dawn air, the first birds are singing. For weeks, in planning the site, on the computer in your office, you’ve studied the project.

The consultants say you’re crazy. That’s why it’s so cheap— poor reclaimed land from an old big-box building site. But in your heart you know you can reclaim it, save it, make it into a thing of beauty again.

The EPA has signed off on it, no toxic waste. Just rough raw land with a big box and cracked parking lots nobody wants. It can be had for next to nothing. With county incentives, even.

But now you see land with eyes unlike theirs. Now, feeling the land itself around you, you experience it holistically. You’ve considered the purpose of the project and the funds available. You’ve analyzed the natural elements of the site, the climate, soil, slope of the land, drainage, and vegetation.

But now the land itself is speaking to you. Because now, as you climb the litter-pocked hills, and look over into the weed-choked valley below, you observe where sunlight falls on the site at different times of the day.

The light is revealing it’s secrets. It has always known the land. Now it is showing you, because you have the eyes to see.

You dream as you envision the plan of buildings, roads, walkways, and utilities. Where they will fit.

Suddenly you freeze. Suddenly now, you see it all. A thrill races through you, seeing it. How the land will shape itself, frame itself with graceful curves and trees.

Turning ugliness into beauty. That is your quest. That is your talent, and your training, your education.

You are a landscape architect.

You design and plan the restoration of natural places disturbed by humans such as wetlands, stream corridors, mined areas and forested land.

Your inner vision commands attractively-designed residential areas, public parks and playgrounds, college campuses, shopping centers, golf courses, and parkways.

Landscape architects, like you, design these areas so that they are not only functional, but also beautiful, and compatible with the natural environment. You plan the location of buildings, roads, and walkways, and the restoration and arrangement of flowers, shrubs, and trees.

Landscape architects use their knowledge of design, construction, land-use planning, and environmental issues to develop a landscape project. Others whose work requires similar skills are architects, except landscape and naval; surveyors, cartographers, photogrammetrists, and surveying technicians; civil engineers; and urban and regional planners.

Landscape architects also must know how to grow and use plants in the landscape. Some conservation scientists and foresters and biological scientists also study plants and do related work. Environmental scientists and hydrologists, and geoscientists, like many landscape architects, work in the area of environmental remediation.

Landscape architects work for many types of organizations—from real estate development firms starting new projects to municipalities constructing airports or parks—and they often are involved with the development of a site from its conception.

Working with building or bridge or highway architects, surveyors, and engineers, landscape architects help determine the best arrangement of roads and buildings. They also collaborate with environmental scientists, foresters, and other professionals to find the best way to conserve or restore natural resources. Once these decisions are made, landscape architects create detailed plans indicating new topography, vegetation, walkways, and other landscaping details, such as fountains and decorative features.

After studying and analyzing the site, landscape architects prepare a preliminary design. To address the needs of the client as well as the conditions at the site, they frequently make changes before a final design is approved. They also take into account any local, State, or Federal regulations, such as those protecting wetlands or historic resources. In preparing designs, computer-aided design (CAD) has become an essential tool for most landscape architects. Many landscape architects also use video simulation to help clients envision the proposed ideas and plans. For larger scale site planning, landscape architects also use geographic information systems (GIS) technology, a computer mapping system.

Throughout all phases of planning and design, landscape architects consult with other professionals, such as civil engineers, hydrologists, or architects, involved in the project. Once the design is complete, they prepare a proposal for the client. They produce detailed plans of the site, including written reports, sketches, models, photographs, land-use studies, and cost estimates, and submit them for approval by the client and by regulatory agencies. When the plans are approved, landscape architects prepare working drawings showing all existing and proposed features. They also outline in detail the methods of construction and draw up a list of necessary materials. Landscape architects then monitor the implementation of their design, while general contractors or landscape contractors usually direct the actual construction of the site and installation of plantings.

Some landscape architects work on a variety of projects. Others specialize in a particular area, such as street and highway beautification, waterfront improvement projects, parks and playgrounds, or shopping centers. Still others work in regional planning and resource management; feasibility, environmental impact, and cost studies; or site construction.

Increasingly, landscape architects work in environmental remediation, such as preservation and restoration of wetlands or abatement of storm-water run-off in new developments.

Historic landscape preservation and restoration is another area where landscape architects increasingly play a vital preservationist role.

Landscape architects who work for government agencies do site and landscape design for government buildings, parks, and other public lands, as well as park and recreation planning in national parks and forests.

In addition, they prepare environmental impact statements and studies on environmental issues such as public land-use planning.

Some restore degraded land, such as mines or landfills. Others use their skills in traffic-calming, the “art” of slowing traffic through the use of traffic design, enhancement of the physical environment, and greater attention to aesthetics.

Almost every state requires landscape architects to be licensed. While requirements vary among the states, they usually include a degree in landscape architecture from an accredited school, work experience, and the passage of the Landscape Architect Registration Exam.

A bachelor’s or master’s degree in landscape architecture usually is necessary for entry into the profession.

There are two undergraduate professional degrees: a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) and a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture (BSLA). These usually require four or five years of study in design, construction techniques, art, history, natural and social sciences.

There are generally two types of graduate degree programs. For those who hold an undergraduate degree in a field other than landscape architecture and intend to become landscape architecture practitioners, the Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) typically takes three years of full-time study. Those who hold undergraduate degrees in landscape architecture can earn their MLA in two years.

Higher education courses required in these programs usually include subjects such as surveying, landscape design and construction, landscape ecology, site design, and urban and regional planning. Other courses include history of landscape architecture, plant and soil science, geology, professional practice, and general management.

The design studio is another important aspect of many curriculums. Whenever possible, students are assigned real projects, providing them with valuable hands-on experience. While working on these projects, students become proficient in the use of computer-aided design, geographic information systems, and video simulation.

As of January 2008, 49 states required landscape architects to be licensed. Licensing is based on the Landscape Architect Registration Examination (L.A.R.E.), sponsored by the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards and administered in two portions, graphic and multiple choice.

Admission to the exam usually requires a degree from an accredited school plus 1 to 4 years of work experience under the supervision of a licensed landscape architect, although standards vary from State to State.

Currently, 15 States require that a State examination be passed in addition to the L.A.R.E. to satisfy registration requirements. State examinations focus on laws, environmental regulations, plants, soils, climate, and any other characteristics unique to the State.

Continuing education is needed to maintain a license. Requirements usually involve the completion of workshops, seminars, formal university classes, conferences, self-study courses, or other classes.

Good oral communication skills are essential. Landscape architects must be able to convey their ideas to other professionals and clients and to make presentations before large groups.

Strong writing skills also are valuable, as is knowledge of computer applications of all kinds, including word processing, desktop publishing, and spreadsheets. Landscape architects use these tools to develop presentations, proposals, reports, and land impact studies for clients, colleagues, and superiors.

Landscape architects must also be able to draft and design using CAD software. Many employers recommend that prospective landscape architects complete at least one summer internship with a landscape architecture firm to hone their technical skills and to gain an understanding of the day-to-day operations of the business, including how to win clients, generate fees, and work within a budget.

After several years, landscape architects may become project managers, taking on the responsibility for meeting schedules and budgets, in addition to overseeing the project design. Later, they may become associates or partners of a firm, with a proprietary interest in the business.

Many landscape architects are self-employed. Self-discipline, business acumen, and good marketing skills are important qualities for those who choose to open their own business. Even with these qualities, however, some may struggle while building a client base.

Those with landscape architecture training also qualify for jobs closely related to landscape architecture, and may, after gaining some experience, become construction supervisors, land or environmental planners, or landscape consultants.

Landscape architects held about 28,000 jobs in 2006. More than 1 out of 2 landscape architects were employed in architectural, engineering, and related services. State and local governments employed approximately 6 percent of all landscape architects. About 2 out of 10 landscape architects were self-employed.

Employment of landscape architects is concentrated in urban and suburban areas throughout the country; some landscape architects work in rural areas, particularly those employed by the Federal Government to plan and design parks and recreation areas.

Employment of landscape architects is expected to increase by 16 percent during the 2006-16 decade, which is faster than the average for all occupations. Employment will grow because the expertise of landscape architects will be sought after in the planning and development of new construction to meet the needs of a growing population. With land costs rising and the public desiring more beautiful spaces, the importance of good site planning and landscape design is growing.

New construction will spur demand for landscape architects to help plan sites that meet with environmental regulations and zoning laws and integrate new structures with the natural environment in the least disruptive way. For example, landscape architects will be needed to manage storm-water run-off to avoid pollution of waterways and conserve water resources. Landscape architects also will be increasingly involved in preserving and restoring wetlands and other environmentally sensitive sites.

Continuation of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation, Equity Act: A Legacy for Users also is expected to spur employment for landscape architects, particularly in State and local governments. This Act, known as SAFETEA-LU, provides funds for surface transportation and transit programs, such as interstate highway construction and maintenance, pedestrian and bicycle trails, and safe routes to schools.

In addition to the work related to new development and construction, landscape architects are expected to be involved in historic preservation, land reclamation, and refurbishment of existing sites. Additionally, landscape architects will be needed to create security perimeters that are better integrated with their surroundings for many of the Nation’s landmarks, monuments, and buildings.

In addition to growth, the need to replace landscape architects who retire or leave the labor force will produce some additional job openings.
Opportunities will vary by year and geographic region, depending on local economic conditions. During a recession, when real estate sales and construction slow down, landscape architects may face greater competition for jobs and sometimes layoffs. But because landscape architects can work on many different types of projects, they may have steadier work than other design professionals when traditional construction slows.

New graduates can expect to face competition for jobs in the largest and most prestigious landscape architecture firms, but there should be good job opportunities overall as demand for landscape architecture services increases. Many employers prefer to hire entry-level landscape architects who have internship experience, which significantly reduces the amount of on-the-job training required.

Opportunities will be best for landscape architects who develop strong technical skills—such as computer design—communication skills, and knowledge of environmental codes and regulations. Those with additional training or experience in urban planning increase their opportunities for employment in landscape architecture firms that specialize in site planning as well as landscape design.

In May 2006, median annual earnings for landscape architects were $55,140.
The middle 50 percent earned between $42,720 and $73,240.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $34,230 and the highest 10 percent earned over $95,420.

Architectural, engineering, and related services employed more landscape architects than any other group of industries, and there the median annual earnings were $56,060 in May 2006.

If you possess a creative vision and artistic talent, and love and respect the land, the life of a Landscape Architect is waiting for you.

Do the study, gain the knowledge, and empower your inner vision, with the core tool, a degree.

In 2007, 61 colleges and universities offered 79 undergraduate and graduate programs in landscape architecture, all of them accredited by the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

Candidates for entry positions with the Federal Government must have earned at least a bachelor’s degree. However, a master’s degree in landscape architecture is a strong ingredient in a successful career.

People who love and respect the land, like you— who have vision, like you, who enjoy working with their hands, like you, and who possess strong analytical skills, like you— are a natural fit for a rich and deeply rewarding career in Landscape Architecture.

Become an artist who reclaims the land, who reshapes the ruined places of our consumer culture, who saves the land… an artist who sculpts with the land itself!

Additional information, including a list of colleges and universities offering accredited programs in landscape architecture, is available from:

• American Society of Landscape Architects, Career Information, 636 Eye St. NW., Washington, DC 20001-3736. http://www.asla.org

General information on registration or licensing requirements is available from:

• Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards, 3949 Pender Dr., Suite 120, Vienna, VA 22030. http://www.clarb.org

A dozen news media cameras scan your command center. You and your fellow experts monitor systems that feed data into computers, telling you everything needed to bring this off without an explosion, without fatalities, without disaster.

You control information. What could be more vital?

The Space Shuttle is strapped to it’s boosters. It’s time. You key in the ignition command.

Suddenly, the earth roars, and a skyscraper-sized missile, with the shuttle on it’s back, roars up through the sky, riding a plume of smoke and fire, disappearing into space.

You track every bit of data, every nuance of information, making sure nothing fails.

Who are you? You are an expert in Information Systems Science. And for you, (even in this economy!), the news is only good.

CNN Money reports that one of the highest-paying and highest-hiring jobs in the market today is Information sciences and systems, with a starting income of $47,182.

The US Bureau of labor also reports that employment of computer and information systems managers is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2016.

Manager opportunities will favor those applicants armed with a strong education in business, with good communication skills— and the foundational degrees in Information Systems and Science.

Why is this such a cutting-edge opportunity? Because, in the modern workplace, information technology is absolutely essential to survival, which is today’s form of success.

Computer and information systems managers play a vital role in the implementation of technology within their organizations. They do everything from helping to construct a business plan to overseeing network security to directing Internet operations.

There are almost endless varieties of companies and command centers who need to control and process vast streams of critical data.

The work of computer and information systems managers is closely related to that of computer programmers, computer software engineers, computer systems analysts, computer scientists and database administrators, and computer support specialists and systems administrators. Computer and information systems managers also have some high-level responsibilities similar to those of top executives.

Computer and information systems managers direct the work of systems analysts, computer programmers, support specialists, and other computer-related workers. They plan and coordinate activities such as installation and upgrading of hardware and software, programming and systems design, development of computer networks, and implementation of Internet and intranet sites.

Chief technology officers (CTOs), for example, evaluate the newest and most innovative technologies and determine how these can help their organizations. The chief technology officer often reports to the organization’s chief information officer, manages and plans technical standards, and tends to the daily information technology issues of the firm.

Management information systems (MIS) directors or information technology (IT) directors manage computing resources for their organizations. They often work under the chief information officer and plan and direct the work of subordinate information technology employees. These managers ensure the availability, continuity, and security of data and information technology services in their organizations. In this capacity, they oversee a variety of user services such as an organization’s help desk, which employees can call with questions or problems. MIS directors also may make hardware and software upgrade recommendations based on their experience with an organization’s technology.

Project managers develop requirements, budgets, and schedules for their firms’ information technology projects. They coordinate such projects from development through implementation, working with internal and external clients, vendors, consultants, and computer specialists. These managers are increasingly involved in projects that upgrade the information security of an organization.

Computer and information systems managers are generally experienced workers who have both technical expertise and an understanding of business and management principles.

A bachelor’s degree usually is required for management positions, although employers often prefer a graduate degree, especially an MBA with technology as a core component.

This MBA degree differs from a traditional MBA in that there is a heavy emphasis on information technology in addition to the standard business curriculum. This preparation is becoming important because more computer and information systems managers are making important technology decisions as well as business decisions for their organizations.
Some universities offer degrees in management information systems.

These degrees blend technical subjects with business, accounting, and communications courses. A few computer and information systems managers attain their positions with only an associate or trade school degree, but they must have sufficient experience and must have acquired additional skills on the job.

To aid their professional advancement, many managers with an associate degree eventually earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree while working.

Advanced technical knowledge is essential for computer and information systems managers, who must understand and guide the work of their subordinates yet also explain the work in nontechnical terms to senior managers and potential customers. Therefore, many computer and information systems managers have worked as a systems analyst, for example, or as a computer support specialist, programmer, or other information technology professional.

Computer and information systems managers held about 264,000 jobs in 2006. About 1 in 4 computer managers worked in service-providing industries, mainly in computer systems design and related services. This industry provides services related to the commercial use of computers on a contract basis, including custom computer programming services; computer systems integration design services; computer facilities management services, including computer systems or data-processing facilities support services; and other computer-related services, such as disaster recovery services and software installation. Other large employers include insurance and financial firms, government agencies, and manufacturers.

Employment of computer and information systems managers is expected to grow 16 percent over the 2006-16 decade— much faster than the average for all occupations. New applications of technology in the workplace will continue to drive demand for workers, fueling the need for more managers.

Despite the downturn in the technology sector in the early part of the decade, the outlook for computer and information systems managers remains strong. To remain competitive, firms will continue to install sophisticated computer networks and set up more complex intranets and websites. Keeping a computer network running smoothly is essential to almost every organization.

With the explosive growth of electronic commerce and the capacity of the Internet to create new relationships with customers, the role of computer and information systems managers will continue to evolve. Workers who have experience in web applications and Internet technologies will become increasingly vital to their companies.

Prospects for qualified computer and information systems managers should be excellent. Fast-paced occupational growth and the limited supply of technical workers will lead to a wealth of opportunities for qualified individuals. While technical workers remain relatively scarce in the United States, the demand for them continues to rise. nue.

Earnings for computer and information systems managers vary by specialty and level of responsibility. Median annual earnings of these managers in May 2006 were $101,580. The middle 50 percent earned between $79,240 and $129,250.

In addition, computer and information systems managers, (especially those at higher levels!), often receive employment-related benefits, such as expense accounts, stock option plans, and bonuses.

From the glamorous NASA engineer to the fast-track Corporate Information Systems expert, this field will grow and grow.

Information technology can be your passport into a rising level of income and stable employment.

Time to start climbing the ladder. The first run on the ladder is higher education.

Most universities and colleges and many online institutions offer the degree you need.

If this feels right, if it’s a good fit for you, join this high-demand and high-salaried sector of job growth!

For information about a career as a computer and information systems manager, contact:
• Association of Information Technology Professionals, 401 North Michigan Ave., Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60611. www.aitp.org