GCU’s more than 25,000 online and traditional students enjoy the best of both worlds – a friendly, traditional campus featuring a rich 60-year-old community built on values-based academics, as well a dynamic online learning platform. With a generous academic-based scholarship program, the University is dedicated to helping students achieve scholastic excellence while defining their life’s purpose. GCU’s graduation coach teams are dedicated to ensuring that all students have the best experience possible, earning their degrees as efficiently and economically as possible.

GCU is located on a lush 95-acre campus in the “Valley of the Sun” – Phoenix, Arizona. Campus students enjoy the Olympic-sized pool year-round and a variety of events and activities both on campus and nearby, with an abundance of outdoor activities and entertainment venues easily accessible. The GCU Antelopes compete in 16 NCAA athletic programs – more than any other university in the state, including men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and softball, wrestling, cross country, volleyball, golf, swimming and tennis. Plans are under way to construct a 5,000-seat events center on campus aimed at supporting the University’s invigorated men’s basketball program, conferences, community events and Christian concerts.

Online students are encouraged to enjoy the virtual campus experience combined with the convenience of GCU’s academically challenging degree programs that fit their lifestyle, with the University’s online programs consistently ranked nationally in the top ten. GCU recently was selected from more than 50 schools with the prestigious 2009 ANGEL IMPACT Exemplary Course Award presented by a major online learning system provider. The award honored GCU’s creation and integration of a variety of visual enhancements within its College of Nursing and Health Sciences, which include 3D models and simulations, flash movies, and a fresh, new design.

Online students also benefit from GCU’s commitment to small classes and individual attention. GCU has bridged the gap between distance and learning with their cohort learning program, in which students advance together as they would on campus through a sequence of core courses in chosen areas. Lifelong connections and friendships often develop from these cohorts, which can include students from all over the country. Many online graduates enjoy visiting the campus and attending commencement activities when they graduate.

GCU also is recognized by GI Jobs Magazine as a “military-friendly” university, offering full-tuition scholarships and degree programs that appeal to retired and active-duty military personnel, their spouses and dependents. GCU participates in a program that enables GI benefits to be used for private school education, providing attractive options for those interested in expanding or changing careers.

With a stated mission of preparing learners to become global citizens, critical thinkers, effective communicators and responsible leaders, GCU emphasizes and offers opportunities to lead and serve through community outreach activities and mission trips that take students all over the world.

Whether students choose to earn a degree online or on campus, GCU’s unique, faith-based culture, combined with cutting edge academics, value and service, is a wise choice!

For more information about the University, call GCU’s Enrollment Department at: 800-486-9907 and ask to schedule a campus visit. Or, if you can’t come in person, you can call 1-800-486-7089 and speak directly with a GCU Enrollment Counselor. Learn More!

Your family and your friends ask, “What in the world are you going to do for income? Do you want to end up living in a box in an alley?”

You love to talk, discuss, debate. You’re addicted to thinking. Not the accumulation of data, but thinking itself.

Your world is as eclectic as the music you love, no limits, infinite variety. Your I-pod is packed with the aural riches of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, the North Mississippi All-Stars, Nirvana, the Decembrists, anything by Jimi or Dylan with some Lou Reed thrown in. Then an Old-time concert, the Carolina Chocolate Drops, just so so damn good.

You think voraciously. Philosophy studies, especially metaphysics, feel so elegant, like chess inside your mind. You’re addicted.

For you, reading is a disease. Ancient history is a secret pleasure, especially Thucydides and Herodotus. You devour the fiction called American Naturalism you much prefer early Faulkner to any period of Hemingway. In fiction more recently, Cormac McCarthy is next to early Robert Stone. But the two Sinclairs, Sinclair Lewis and Upton Sinclair, are your current mania.

You love theater. You prefer the plays of Euripides to Tennessee Williams. But Peter Shaffer is your all-time favorite playwright, much more than Mamet. You would walk a hundred miles for a revival of Royal Hunt of the Sun, or Amadeus. You know every line of several Coen Brothers movies.

You love art museums. The Abstract Expressionists, especially the huge color fields of Rothko and the action paintings Pollack, make you feel ascendant. You avoid the Impressionists like Renoir and Monet, their fluff so sickeningly sweet you need an insulin shot.

You write a little poetry. More like E.E. Cummings than Ted Hughes.

You are a Liberal Arts major.

And you’re no fool. You know you can’t eat ideas. The world is waiting to feed on you!

AaaaaAAAAAAAAA! What will you do for MONEY?

DO NOT DESPAIR.

Thanks to (the wonderful committed brain-power and social enthusiasm of) your Liberal Arts degree, you can have an amazing future in the wonderful world of employment!

It’s true. Liberal arts majors with good grades are passionate about their studies. Employers look for passion and intelligence— a rare combination.

Your ability to articulate freely and accurately— Liberal arts is well-known for this— is a highly valued skill, sought by many top employers.

Your Liberal Arts degree brings you many more options than you realize. For you, the career choices aren’t obvious, but they are wildly varied.

Bottom line? Liberal arts majors have excellent people skills. Skills that qualify them for a vast array of high intelligence jobs.

A recent National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) survey reveals this strong trend. Most hiring managers value a job candidate’s personal skills much higher than any particular college major.

Employers are hungry to hire people with skills in communication and critical thinking, exactly the top qualities of Liberal Arts graduates.

This is why Liberal Arts grads employment and salaries continually increase.

Opportunities are wide and many. Liberal Arts can open a whole range of careers. Most entry-level positions require people who can learn quickly and solve problems; the specifics are taught on the job.

The same NACE survey shows that liberal arts graduates worked in a variety of industries, including retail trade and social assistance. And they worked in a range of career fields, from management to sales to graphic arts.

Salary offers for Liberal Arts majors varied tremendously, depending upon the field selected.

Liberal arts majors have so many options beyond the obvious ones. This is an enormous advantage.

An English or History major might want to write, or teach… and yet the same Liberal Arts grad can go into business, sales, or graphic design, research assistant, or paralegal, working as a reporter or technical writer.

Or Anthropology, where the grad learned to conduct ethnographic interviews and studies, skills that can translate to marketing.

Employment of market research analysts is projected to grow by 20 percent between 2006 and 2016, and to provide more than 62,900 job openings for workers new to those occupations.

Communications and media jobs are expected to grow by 11 percent and provide 245,000 openings.

And jobs in urban and regional planning are expected to grow by 15 percent and provide 14,900 openings.

Data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) show that the percent of graduates who had full-time jobs 1 year after graduation increased across the board for all liberal arts specialties between 1975 and 2001.

For instance, Psychology majors have seen a rise in post-graduation employment of almost 20 percent. Humanities and social science majors have experienced similar increases (16 percent and 17 percent, respectively).

According to the NCES Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Survey, a substantial portion of liberal arts graduates have reported that their jobs relate directly to their studies.
41 percent of humanities majors reported a direct link between their jobs and their majors, one year after graduation.

Deciding on a career can be difficult, especially if you have a degree that doesn’t point to a specific type of job.

Career counselors can help you find direction. Professionals in your college’s career center can offer advice on topics ranging from choosing a career to negotiating a salary. If you know which skills you want to use in a future job, you can consult a career counselor— to help you match those skills with potential jobs.

Nearly all career centers offer Internet resources that describe occupational choices by college major.

Exploit online research as a top tool of choice.

See? Liberal Arts is no dead-end. Your depth of knowledge can be a gateway to your dreams.

On the contrary, it can serve your future in a wild array of opportunities you never dreamed existed!

Bottom line, the degree and all that it confers. A general college degree is the major entry-level credential you need.

So, you’re ready to grad, to find your niche. Think away. It’s your passion, your number one asset, your intellectual strength.

Go ahead, Liberal Arts student, GRADUATE! Don’t fear the reaper, you can and you will find a rewarding job.

For the rest of your life, you will own THE CULTIVATION OF YOUR PERSONAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE!

The following articles offer general ad- vice that is useful to a broad range of jobseek- ers, including liberal arts graduates:

• Career myths and how to debunk them, www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2005/fall/art01.pdf
• Informational interviewing: Get the inside scoop on careers, www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2002/summer/art03.pdf
• Internships: Previewing a profes- sion, www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2006/summer/art02.pdf
• Résumés, applications, and cover letters, www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/1999/Summer/art01.pdf
• Helping charity work: Paid jobs in charitable nonprofits, www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2001/Summer/art02.pdf
• Interior designers: Sprucing up space, www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2005/fall/art02.pdf
• Policy analysts: Shaping society through research and problem-solving, www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2007/spring/art03.pdf

You can also visit a One-Stop Career Center, spon-sored by the U.S. Department of Labor. To find a local center, call toll free, 1 (877) 872–5627, or visit www.servicelocator.org.

To learn more about how skills and interest assessments are used in employment selection and career counseling, and to get test-taking tips and strategies, see “Tests and Other Assessments: Helping You Make Better Career Decisions,” published by O*Net and also available online at www.onetcenter.org/dl_files/testAsse.pdf.

Maybe you are doing fine, a few rungs up the ladder. One day BAM. Your company fires half it’s employees, and there you go… slipping back down the rungs you worked so very hard to climb.

So. You go back out in the job market and find nothing. It’s a nightmare… opening after opening, they don’t want you, because you have no degree.

Or even more disheartening… they don’t need you, because the degree you DO have is no longer relevant to the emerging job markets!

America, the USA… world leader? If so, how many Americans have the competitive advantage of higher education?

Here is a shocking stat… 150 million Americans (Over the age of 18) have no degree at all!

Without a degree, you will be left out of almost half of all employment openings in the next decade. This is a cold hard fact.

And if you DO have a degree that is no longer highly recruited, you’re even more conflicted. Because, with your degree, employers know you have high expectations— so they don’t even want to talk to you, if they consider you over-qualified (for a job you maybe haven’t even educated yourself to fill.)

With no degree, or with an obsolete degree, your best chance is through high education. This is true, even if you have no job, and diminishing savings.

But how can you afford a degree?

If you don’t have the money, you can still get help. Get help from where, you say?

Take a look at all the programs created just for you.

From the President to your local state officials, you have friends in high places!

For information on applying for Federal financial aid, visit the FAFSA Internet site: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov.

A U.S. Department of Education publication describing Federal financial aid programs, called The Student Guide, is available at: http://www.studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/student_guide/index.html.

Information on Federal programs is available from: http://www.studentaid.ed.gov and http://www.students.gov.

Information on State programs is available from your State’s higher education agency. A list of these agencies is available at: http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/Programs/EROD/.

So now you see where money can come. But (you say) you have a family, a part-time job, a full-time job, no extra energy, and no extra time?

I can’t help you with the energy. Maybe you are tired already. It’s a tough sacrifice, to force your own limited energy, to make it work harder for you. You have to take energy away from something else. But if you don’t do it, you’ll always pay, with lower and lower life quality.

Believe me, millions of others will climb up that down ladder, somehow. They’ll find the energy somehow. And for the rest of your life, you’ll be competing with them in an increasing tough job market.

But you say, even if I find the energy, there’s only so much time. How do I make the time? I can’t travel to a college or university.

There are ways. If you don’t have the time, adjust your life— create the time through online learning programs.

Do it at home. Make that institution of higher learning come to you.

Use all the full array of GRAD2B resources, right here, Find the online learning program that suits you best.

Earn your first degree. Or re-educate yourself, with a new cutting-edge degree that gives you the competitive edge to keep moving up.

Keep fighting your way up the down ladder. Use your friends in high places, and your own guts, to get there.

Make your climb always upward!

Everybody in the company knows how smart you are. You own the room in every meeting. You are an amazing combination of tech and sales. Nobody else in the company is remotely as equipped as you.

On some level, the managers actually fear you. You have engineering knowledge of the product to a depth far beyond their imagining.

You have to explain things to them like third-graders. To you it’s baby-talk. To them it’s techno-babble. But you try hard not to patronize.

Because, here’s what everybody knows about you. You’re a brain. You’re sharp. Your knowledge is mysterious. It scares them, actually.

They always know that you could leave the company, write a full competitive analysis from your internal product knowledge. They know that you know every bug in the product. You know and could hire all the good people here. But you haven’t, not yet anyway. Because life is good. So far.

Potential partners approach you often, and you report their offers. Because you are loyal. And it gives you internal clout, big-time.

You’re an ethical person. You’re proud of the product. You just want to be brilliant, and prosper, and grow with the company.

And, to be honest, the company treats you very very well indeed. They know you’re in demand. They respect you and need you, and the raises and perks just keep coming.

The reality is nothing really like Dilbert. In the real world, they just cannot do without you.

You’re a Sales Engineer.

You work with the production, engineering, or research and development departments of their companies, or with independent sales firms, to determine how products and services could be designed or modified to suit customers’ needs. You also may advise customers on how best to use the products or services provided.

Sales engineers—who also may be called manufacturers’ agents, sales representatives, or technical sales support workers—sell and consult on technologically and scientifically advanced products. They should possess extensive knowledge of these products, including their components and processes. Sales engineers then use their technical skills to demonstrate to potential customers how and why the products or services they are selling would suit the customer better than competitors’ products.

Often, there may not be a directly competitive product. In these cases, the job of the sales engineer is to demonstrate to the customer the usefulness of the product or service—for example, how much money new production machinery would save.

Engineers apply the theories and principles of science and mathematics to technical problems. Their work is the link between scientific discoveries and commercial applications. Many sales engineers specialize in products that are related to their engineering specialty. For example, sales engineers selling chemical products may have chemical engineering backgrounds, while those selling business software or information systems may have degrees in computer engineering.

Many of the duties of sales engineers are similar to those of other salespersons. They must interest the client in purchasing their products, many of which are durable manufactured products such as turbines. Sales engineers often are teamed with other salespersons who concentrate on the marketing and sales, enabling the sales engineer to concentrate on the technical aspects of the job. By working on a sales team, each member is able to focus on his or her strengths and expertise.

Sales engineers tend to employ selling techniques that are different from those used by most other sales workers. They generally use a “consultative” style; that is, they focus on the client’s problem and show how it could be solved or mitigated with their product or service. This selling style differs from the “benefits and features” method, whereby the salesperson describes the product and leaves the customer to decide how it would be useful.

In addition to maintaining current clients and attracting new ones, sales engineers help clients solve any problems that arise when the product is installed. Afterward, they may continue to serve as a liaison between the client and their company. Increasingly, sales engineers are asked to undertake tasks related to sales, such as market research, because of their familiarity with clients’ purchasing needs. Drawing on this same familiarity, sales engineers may help identify and develop new products.

Sales engineers may work directly for manufacturers or service providers, or they may work in small independent sales firms. In an independent firm, they may sell complementary products from several different suppliers.

Some sales engineers have large territories and travel extensively. Because sales regions may cover several States, sales engineers may be away from home for several days or even weeks at a time. Others work near their home base and travel mostly by car. International travel to secure contracts with foreign clients is becoming more common.

Most sales engineers have a bachelor’s degree in engineering, and many have previous work experience in an engineering specialty. New sales engineers may need some on-the-job training in sales or may work closely with a sales mentor familiar with company policies and practices before they can work on their own.

A bachelor’s degree in engineering usually is required to become a sales engineer. However, some workers with previous experience in sales combined with technical experience or training sometimes hold the title of sales engineer.

Also, workers who have a degree in a science, such as chemistry, or even a degree in business with little or no previous sales experience, may be termed sales engineers.

Admissions requirements for undergraduate engineering schools include a solid background in mathematics (algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus) and the physical sciences (biology, chemistry, and physics), as well as basic courses in English, social studies, humanities, and computer science. University programs vary in content, though all require the development of computer skills.

Once a university has been selected, a student must choose an area of engineering in which to specialize. Some programs offer a general engineering curriculum; students then specialize on the job or in graduate school. Most engineering degrees are granted in electrical, mechanical, or civil engineering. However, engineers trained in one branch may work in related branches.

New graduates with engineering degrees may need sales experience and training before they can work independently as sales engineers. Training may involve teaming with a sales mentor who is familiar with the employer’s business practices, customers, procedures, and company culture. After the training period has been completed, sales engineers may continue to partner with someone who lacks technical skills, yet excels in the art of sales.

It is important for sales engineers to continue their engineering and sales education throughout their careers. Much of their value to their employers depends on their knowledge of and ability to sell the latest technologies. Sales engineers in high-technology fields, such as information technology or advanced electronics, may find that technical knowledge rapidly becomes obsolete.

Sales engineers held about 76,000 jobs in 2006.

About 37 percent were employed in wholesale trade and another 26 percent were employed in the manufacturing industries. Smaller numbers of sales engineers worked in information industries, such as software publishing and telecommunications; professional, scientific, and technical services, such as computer systems design and related services; architectural, engineering, and related services; and other industries.

Employment of sales engineers is expected to grow by 9 percent between 2006 and 2016.

Competitive pressures and advancing technology will force companies to improve and update product designs more frequently and to optimize their manufacturing and sales processes, and thus require the services of a sales engineer.

Median annual earnings, including commissions, of wage and salary sales engineers were $77,720 in May 2006.

The middle 50 percent earned between $59,490 and $100,280 a year.

The lowest 10 percent earned less than $47,010, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $127,680 a year.

Median annual earnings of those employed by firms in the computer systems design and related services industry were $90,950.

If you are the type of unique individual who loves technology and also enjoys sales, this combination of challenges might be a perfect fit for you. Many sales engineers have previous work experience in an engineering specialty. That’s also a big plus, if you have the background.

Job security is good. Increasing numbers of technical products, and services for sale, mean more and more need for Sales Engineers.

Opening your own company with all your knowledge, also means that a techno jackpot could be yours.

Go get the bachelor’s degree in engineering required, possibly with a business minor. And fasten your seat belt.

With the ever-expanding techno-world we live in, your career should be a fast-track roller-coaster ride!

Information on careers for manufacturers’ representatives and agents is available from:

• Manufacturers’ Agents National Association, P.O. Box 3467, Laguna Hills, CA 92654. http://www.manaonline.org
• Manufacturers’ Representatives Educational Research Foundation, 8329 Cole St., Arvada, CO 80005. http://www.mrerf.org

You were born into a shark tank— you must swim and hunt and feed, competing for resources, mates, space.

On Earth, where creatures eat one another to maintain life, there is one great overriding mandate— Eat or be Eaten.

At birth, you were given a set of tools. Your body. Your mind. With these two amazing pieces of equipment, you compete for all your needs.

Sounds good, but wait… most everyone else is issued these same tools. How can you give yourself an edge? How can you maximize your chances?

Let’s look closer at the body and the mind, your given tools.

First, how do they interact? Where do they meet?

Is your body nothing but a meat-car? A meat machine to transport your control center, your mind?

Is the mind an electronic field radiating from your brain mass? A field of energy containing your personal RAM knowledge your thinking flow?

Does the brain rely on the body for it’s energy source? Or does the body rely upon the brain for all controls?

You know the answer. It’s both. The interaction of the body and the brain give us the power of the mind.

The healthier the body, the greater chance that the brain is healthy, that the brain is always powered up with sufficient energy, ready to process, analyze, synthesize, and learn.

This is what I call The Fitness Equation… HEALTH + INTELLIGENCE = HOPE.

Hope is your chance to eat instead of being eaten. Hope is the realization of your dreams for your future.

Many studies have proven that good health can be measured by higher IQ points. Hope depends upon health, and health depends upon intelligence.

Do this. Use the Fitness Equation. Turbocharge your body with fitness and good health, good eating habits, sufficient sleep, normal weight, and your brain will thrive.

Do NOT damage yourself through poor eating, sedentary habits, drugs like nicotine, alcohol, etc, poor sleep. Do NOT fall ever backwards from your goals.

In the USA, every census proves a direct causal ratio between income levels and health stats. Conversely, your income directly impacts your health.

If you have earned a degree, you already understand the importance of health in your life.

Understand that your intelligence is deeply affected also. Understand that the smarter shark will freed upon you. And understand that to survive, you must feed.

The Fitness Equation should become part of your daily life. Your HEALTH builds your INTELLIGENCE and creates HOPE. Each builds you toward the fitness necessary to survive.

Body, brain, mind— it’s all one thing. Use it well. Protect it. Exploit it. Nurture it!

Be healthy and wealthy and wise. And as you keep your body fit, always target the muscle called your brain.

Give yourself every advantage possible. Get your degree. Never stop building your knowledge.

Enjoy your competitive adventure— fueled by hope, powered by health, informed by intelligence— during your dangerous sojourn on the savage Planet Earth.

Eat, or be Eaten. If you don’t believe me, do nothing and watch what happens to you.

You know why. You teach standard mainstream fourth grade.

And your favorite student comes in without the homework again. “Actually,” he says, “I forgot. Really, I should be punished.” Prempting you.

You realize that his shirt is on inside-out. The other kids are mocking him. He’s hurt for a second, then his look changes to pride.

“Go ahead, laugh,” he says, and sears them with (an increasingly familiar) look of condescending pity. “The high probability of an asteroid strike would end all life on earth as we know it. Since we live in a world that might end instantly at any given moment, I wore my shirt this way on purpose. It’s a Dada thing. You know, Ubu Roi.”

You love this kid. And you fear for his future. You know he doesn’t belong here. But where?

His jokes are understood by you, but none of the kids in your class. He loves to tease you with plays on words and satire. He makes everyone laugh with his brilliant insights.

Sometimes, he can be incredibly sensitive to feelings of others, but other times he’s bossy and condescending to other kids. When the tough kids pick on him, he plays the class clown role, but you know he hates it. His defense mechanisms are elaborate.

What he doesn’t know he finds out as fast as he can. Google is his authority.

He would be the dream student, IF he were your only student!

In part one of EXCEPTIONALS, we explored a degree in teaching exceptional disabled students. We discussed the world of those students, and the kind of training and degree necessary to equip a future teacher for that world.

Today, I want to flip the mirror and view learning through its other side, the development of the gifted student— another unique type of person, with very exceptional learning needs and abilities.

School psychologists work with students in early childhood and elementary and secondary schools. They collaborate with teachers, parents, and school personnel to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments for all students. School psychologists address students’ learning and behavioral problems, suggest improvements to classroom management strategies or parenting techniques, and evaluate students with disabilities and gifted and talented students to help determine the best way to educate them.

When the gifted student is evaluated, a suitable and appropriate teaching program should be developed for that student’s special needs.

Then the exceptional teaching begins. A host of positive and negative incidents will challenge both the student and the teacher. This is why a solid basis of knowledge, specific to teaching exceptional students, is essential for the teacher.

The challenges are many for both the teacher and the student. There are many classic examples…

The Gifted Student asks many questions and is very curious. Typically, he/she already possesses a surprising amount of information, often with amazing memory skills. However, the same student easily gets “off task” and “off topic”, impatient when not called on in class.

The Gifted Student can grasp ideas very quickly, getting it the first time. He/she retains information easily, masters reading skills earlier, quick in math, and completes assignments with startling quickness. This student may expect constant recognition. He/she is very easily bored, often disruptive when feeling ignored, and hates repetitive activities and memorization. Speed in thought means sloppy, hasty execution of class work, then more and deeper impatience.

The Gifted Student can become the worst of adults or the best of adults. The way he/she is taught— or NOT taught— means everything. Good or bad. Just as the gifted student can become bored and upset when ignored, the gifted adult can turn inward and dangerous when undeveloped and unrecognized.

In the first part of this two-parter, we covered the pathways of higher education for you, the teacher, of exceptional students.

This youth can become a great thinker, a great leader, a great innovator, as an adult.

With this person, original thoughts and indecent opinions are self-motivated. With higher level thinking skills of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, he/she makes connections other students don’t see. Highly individual approaches to problem-solving bring amazing results.

Our world desperately needs minds of this quality, but minds that have been nurtured with skill, love, and insight.

So, this rare human potential is in your hands. Never let it be wasted. Or even much worse, distorted and twisted!

It’s up to YOU to go back to college— and gain the additional knowledge required to bring this gift into the world, and this little human being in to a fruitful life.

YOU are the doorway, the exceptional teacher of the Gifted Student!”

For information on professions related to early intervention and education for gifted children, listings of schools with special education training programs, information on teacher certification, and general information on related personnel issues, contact:

• The National Association of Gifted Children http://www.nagc.org/
• The Council for Exceptional Children, 1110 N. Glebe Rd., Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22201. http://www.cec.sped.org
• National Center for Special Education Personnel & Related Service Providers, National Association of State Directors of Special Education, 1800 Diagonal Rd., Suite 320, Alexandria, VA 22314. http://www.personnelcenter.org

To learn more about the special education teacher certification and licensing requirements in individual States, contact the State’s department of education.

You were always drawn to that side, the disabled kids. There are so many more of them than the gifted. Their needs seem so desperate, their gratitude so overwhelming.

You’d always wanted to teach. You’d grown up working at a summer camp for kids with disabilities.

Maybe you yourself were a gifted kid, and hardly realized it. But you always had so much to share. You seemed to have a very special intuitive insight into others.

Somehow, disabled kids, (with their unusual ways of expressing themselves), didn’t sadden or scare you the way they did some of the other counselors— who often quit after a couple of hours, or the first trying day.

Camp for disabled kids was like going to another world. You loved their delight in small things. After summer vacation, you missed being with those kids, actually.

There was a way you learned to reach them, that made you feel so special yourself. They saw that way you had and loved you for it.

But for all that, you wanted to do more. You always knew there was so much more you should be able to do for them. To bring that light to their eyes. And their hugs aplenty.

Then you were asked to counsel at a camp for what they called the “emotionally disturbed.” You went online and googled the major diagnoses and symptoms. You prepared yourself with effective techniques for working with those kids. It was tougher, but you learned.

And now, you’re fully educated. You work in a public school for Students with Emotional Disturbance or Emotional Disabilities (ED). Their emotions are exaggerated or inappropriate for a situation. They can’t explain or control their actions or impulses. But you understand. Your education prepared you.

But still, it’s so hard. You are the last hope of these kids.

Before this, out of college, you taught in a Title One school. You still bear the fingernail and bite scars on both arms. But those are trivial, compared to the suffering of your students. Autistic, violent temper tantrums, screamers, thrashers.

Your heart aches for them, but so does your head, trying so many ways, over and over, to reach them, soothe and comfort and teach them.

Your family wonders how you can stand it. They have no idea how much inner satisfaction it brings you.

Teaching special education is the difficult teaching positions in the public school system. An incredible level of motivation and courage is needed, to not give up when the going gets tough.

Special education teachers work with children and youths who have a variety of disabilities. It requires a solid background degree in child development and education.

A small number of special education teachers work with students with severe cases of mental retardation or autism, primarily teaching them life skills and basic literacy.

However, the majority of special education teachers work with children with mild to moderate disabilities, using or modifying the general education curriculum to meet the child’s individual needs. Most special education teachers instruct students at the elementary, middle, and secondary school level, although some work with infants and toddlers.

The various types of disabilities that may qualify individuals for special education programs include specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairments, mental retardation, emotional disturbance, multiple disabilities, hearing impairments, orthopedic impairments, visual impairments, autism, combined deafness and blindness, traumatic brain injury, and other health impairments. Students are classified under one of the categories, and special education teachers are prepared to work with specific groups.

Early identification of a child with special needs is an important part of a special education teacher’s job, because early intervention is essential in educating children with disabilities.

Special education teachers use various techniques to promote learning. Depending on the disability, teaching methods can include individualized instruction, problem-solving assignments, and small-group work. When students need special accommodations to take a test, special education teachers see that appropriate ones are provided, such as having the questions read orally or lengthening the time allowed to take the test.

Special education teachers help to develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for each student. The IEP sets personalized goals for the student and is tailored to that student’s individual needs and ability. When appropriate, the program includes a transition plan outlining specific steps to prepare students with disabilities for middle school or high school or, in the case of older students, a job or postsecondary study. Teachers review the IEP with the student’s parents, school administrators, and the student’s general education teachers. Teachers work closely with parents to inform them of their child’s progress and suggest techniques to promote learning at home.

Special education teachers design and teach appropriate curricula, assign work geared toward each student’s needs and abilities, and grade papers and homework assignments. They are involved in the students’ behavioral, social, and academic development, helping them develop emotionally, feel comfortable in social situations, and be aware of socially acceptable behavior. Preparing special education students for daily life after graduation also is an important aspect of the job. Teachers provide students with career counseling or help them learn routine skills, such as balancing a checkbook.

As schools become more inclusive, special education teachers and general education teachers increasingly work together in general education classrooms.

Special education teachers help general educators adapt curriculum materials and teaching techniques to meet the needs of students with disabilities. They coordinate the work of teachers, teacher assistants, and related personnel, such as therapists and social workers, to meet the individualized needs of the student within inclusive special education programs. A large part of a special education teacher’s job involves communicating and coordinating with others involved in the child’s well being, including parents, social workers, school psychologists, occupational and physical therapists, school administrators, and other teachers.

Special education teachers work in a variety of settings. Some have their own classrooms and teach only special education students; others work as special education resource teachers and offer individualized help to students in general education classrooms; still others teach together with general education teachers in classes including both general and special education students.

Some teachers work with special education students for several hours a day in a resource room, separate from their general education classroom. Considerably fewer special education teachers work in residential facilities or tutor students in homebound or hospital environments.

Some special education teachers work with infants and usually travel to the child’s home to work with the parents. Many of these infants have medical problems that slow or preclude normal development. Special education teachers show parents techniques and activities designed to stimulate the infant and encourage the growth and development of the child’s skills. Toddlers usually receive their services at a preschool where special education teachers help them develop social, self-help, motor, language, and cognitive skills, often through the use of play.

Technology is becoming increasingly important in special education. Teachers use specialized equipment such as computers with synthesized speech, interactive educational software programs, and audiotapes to assist children.

Special education teachers enjoy the challenge of working with students with disabilities and the opportunity to establish meaningful relationships with them. Although helping these students can be highly rewarding, the work also can be emotionally and physically draining.

Some schools offer year-round education for special education students, but most special education teachers work only the traditional 10-month school year.

All States require special education teachers to be licensed, which typically requires at least a bachelor’s degree and completion of an approved training program in special education teaching.

Many States require a master’s degree. Most States have alternative methods for entry— for bachelor’s degree holders who do not have training in education.

Many colleges and universities across the United States offer programs in special education at the undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degree levels. Special education teachers usually undergo longer periods of training than do general education teachers.

Most bachelor’s degree programs last years and include general and specialized courses in special education. However, an increasing number of institutions require a 5th year or other graduate-level preparation.

Among the courses offered are educational psychology, legal issues of special education, child growth and development, and strategies for teaching students with disabilities. Some programs require specialization, while others offer generalized special education degrees or a course of study in several specialized areas. The last year of the program usually is spent student teaching in a classroom supervised by a certified teacher.

All 50 States and the District of Columbia require special education teachers to be licensed. The State board of education or a licensure advisory committee usually grants licenses, and licensure varies by State. In some States, special education teachers receive a general education credential to teach kindergarten through grade 12. These teachers then train in a specialty, such as learning disabilities or behavioral disorders. Many States offer general special education licenses across a variety of disability categories, while others license several different specialties within special education.

For traditional licensing, all States require a bachelor’s degree and the completion of an approved teacher preparation program with a prescribed number of subject and education credits and supervised practice teaching. However, many States also require a master’s degree in special education, involving at least 1 year of additional course work, including a specialization, beyond the bachelor’s degree.

Special education teachers can advance to become supervisors or administrators. They may also earn advanced degrees and become instructors in colleges that prepare others to teach special education. In some school systems, highly experienced teachers can become mentors to less experienced ones, providing guidance to those teachers while maintaining a light teaching load.

The number of special education teachers is expected to increase by 15 percent from 2006 to 2016, faster than the average for all occupations.

The number of students requiring special education services has grown steadily in recent years due to improvements that have allowed learning disabilities to be diagnosed at earlier ages and medical advances that have resulted in more children surviving serious accidents or illnesses, but with impairments that require special accommodations. In addition, legislation emphasizing training and employment for individuals with disabilities and educational reforms requiring higher standards for graduation has increased demand for special education services.

The percentage of foreign-born special education students also is expected to grow, as teachers become more adept in recognizing disabilities in that population. Finally, more parents are expected to seek special services for their children who have difficulty meeting the new, higher standards required of students.

In addition to job openings resulting from growth, a large number of openings will result from the need to replace special education teachers who switch to teaching general education, change careers altogether, or retire. At the same time, many school districts report difficulty finding sufficient numbers of qualified teachers. As a result, special education teachers should have excellent job prospects.

The job outlook does vary by geographic area and specialty. Although most areas of the country report difficulty finding qualified applicants, positions in inner cities and rural areas usually are more plentiful than job openings in suburban or wealthy urban areas. Student populations also are expected to increase more rapidly in certain parts of the country, such as the South and West, resulting in increased demand for special education teachers in those regions.

Job opportunities may be better in certain specialties—such as teachers who work with children with multiple disabilities or severe disabilities like autism—because of large increases in the enrollment of special education students classified under those categories. Legislation encouraging early intervention and special education for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers has created a need for early childhood special education teachers.

Bilingual special education teachers and those with multicultural experience also are needed to work with an increasingly diverse student population.

Median annual earnings in May 2006 of wage-and-salary special education teachers who worked primarily in preschools, kindergartens, and elementary schools were $46,360. The middle 50 percent earned between $37,500 and $59,320. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $31,320, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $73,620.
Median annual earnings of wage-and-salary middle school special education teachers were $47,650. The middle 50 percent earned between $38,460 and $61,530. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $32,420, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $80,170.

Median annual earnings of wage-and-salary special education teachers who worked primarily in secondary schools were $48,330. The middle 50 percent earned between $38,910 and $62,640. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $32,760, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $78,020.

In 2006, about 58 percent of special education teachers belonged to unions—mainly the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association—that bargain with school systems over wages, hours, and the terms and conditions of employment.

In most schools, teachers receive extra pay for coaching sports and working with students in extracurricular activities. Some teachers earn extra income during the summer, working in the school system or in other jobs.

Other occupations involved with the identification, evaluation, and development of students with disabilities include psychologists, social workers, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, counselors, teacher assistants, occupational therapists, recreational therapists, and teachers—preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary.

All States require teachers to be licensed; traditional licensing requires the completion of a special education teacher training program and at least a bachelor’s degree.

Many States require a master’s degree. Also, a number of States offer alternative licensure programs to attract college graduates, who do not have training in education.

As a special ed teacher, you job prospects are excellent— enrollments of special education students (and shortages of qualified teachers) keep rising.

Your degree can be the gateway to a profession in increasingly high demand, and a deeply satisfying profession, and a very challenging one.

Special education can be exhausting, intense, delightful, depressing, wonderful… but never boring.

The pain your kids suffer, the delight of discovery in their eyes, their hugs, all make each of your teaching days a world unto itself— beyond merely special— unique!

NOTE: Tomorrow, in our second part of Exceptionals, we will explore the world of Gifted Children, the other side of teaching “Exceptional Students“.

For information on professions related to early intervention and education for children with disabilities, listings of schools with special education training programs, information on teacher certification, and general information on related personnel issues, contact:

• The Council for Exceptional Children, 1110 N. Glebe Rd., Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22201. http://www.cec.sped.org
• National Center for Special Education Personnel & Related Service Providers, National Association of State Directors of Special Education, 1800 Diagonal Rd., Suite 320, Alexandria, VA 22314. http://www.personnelcenter.org

To learn more about the special education teacher certification and licensing requirements in individual States, contact the State’s department of education.

You don’t feel like a hero. It’s what you do. Going into Hell is part of the job.

You’ve been fighting fires for a couple of years now, but nothing like this.

This fire was the kind the older firemen sometimes talk about, the low-keyed fire-scarred veterans, sitting around the station. You always wondered at the reluctant quiet way they remember that kind of fire, with awe. And still, until now, you thought they exaggerating.

So not. Way worse. Incredible. Terrifying. Then your training took over. Suddenly you were in your zone.

Your engine was first on the scene. The house already gushing fire.

Into that furnace you and your comrades went, the way you were trained— suited up, respirators on, helmets down, fighting your way through the black boiling hell of fire and smoke. The water crew’s big hose was jetting a waterfall over the roof, into the windows.

You forced your way in, swinging an axe. Inside that fire, it was hell on earth. It always surprised you a little, how fire is black, not red. Hell is a fierce darkness. Far worse than anyone could describe. Plowing through it, like struggling at the bottom of a black hot sea. As if you’d entered the belly of a raging beast.

Screams reached you faintly through the roar. Their tiny shrieks. Two little kids and a baby, trapped in the back bedroom, screaming for help.

And it was those screams that saved their lives. Those screams, and your training, and, some say, your courage. But it was training more than courage, you know that.

You found the door but wedged it open carefully, knowing they might be inside, knowing a flame front might leap in. Steam from the big hose fogged your shield.

Little arms grabbed your legs. In one arm you lifted a little girl holding a baby. Your other arm swept up a little boy curled at your feet. The ceiling looked like it might go.

You hauled the kids out of there, shielding them; in the smoke were the lights of your buddies, and then you were kicking your way through, into the yard outside.

You remember the EMT’s treating the kids, and how they didn’t want to let go of you. And you remember pulling off your helmet and respirators as your buddies knocked down that house fire.

And yet… more than anything, (more even than the bright stars in the night sky and the fresh air outside the blazing house), you remember the love of the father and mother as they sobbed and held those kids. You remember how those sooty-faced kids kept looking over at you, in big-eyed wonder, in pure love.

Three lives (not counting your own). Saved in critical seconds. Saved by instinct, by your training and courage.

And now, when you see the gold lettering on your fire engine, you read that motto with a deeper passion: “To Serve and Protect.”

You are a Fire Fighter.

Every year, fires and other emergencies take thousands of lives, and destroy property worth billions of dollars. Fire fighters help protect the public against these dangers by responding to fires and a variety of other emergencies. In addition to putting out fires, they are frequently the first emergency personnel at the scene of a traffic accident or medical emergency and may be called upon to treat injuries or perform other vital functions.

During duty hours, fire fighters must have powerful self-control. They must constantly be prepared to respond immediately to a fire or other emergency. Fighting fires is dangerous and complex, requiring excellent organization and teamwork.

At every emergency scene, fire fighters perform specific duties assigned by a superior officer. At fires, they connect hose lines to hydrants and operate a pump to send water to high-pressure hoses. Some carry hoses, climb ladders, and enter burning buildings—using systematic and careful procedures—to put out fires. At times, they may need to use tools, like an ax, to make their way through doors, walls, and debris, sometimes with the aid of information about a building’s floor plan.

Some find and rescue occupants who are unable to safely leave the building without assistance. They also provide emergency medical attention, ventilate smoke-filled areas, and attempt to salvage the contents of buildings. Fire fighters’ duties may change several times while the company is in action.

Sometimes they remain at the site of a disaster for days at a time, rescuing trapped survivors, and assisting with medical treatment.

Fire fighters work in a variety of settings, including metropolitan areas, rural areas with grasslands and forests, airports, chemical plants and other industrial sites. They have also assumed a range of responsibilities, including emergency medical services. In fact, most calls to which fire fighters respond involve medical emergencies. In addition, some fire fighters work in hazardous materials units that are specially trained for the control, prevention, and cleanup of hazardous materials, such as oil spills or accidents involving the transport of chemicals.

Workers specializing in forest fires utilize different methods and equipment than other fire fighters. In national forests and parks, forest fire inspectors and prevention specialists spot fires from watchtowers and report the fires to headquarters by telephone or radio.

Forest rangers also patrol to ensure that travelers and campers comply with fire regulations. When fires break out, crews of fire fighters are brought in to suppress the blaze with heavy equipment and water hoses.

Fighting forest fires, like fighting urban fires, is rigorous work. One of the most effective means of fighting a forest fire is creating fire lines—cutting down trees and digging out grass and all other combustible vegetation in the path of the fire—to deprive it of fuel.

Elite fire fighters called smoke jumpers parachute from airplanes to reach otherwise inaccessible areas. This can be extremely hazardous.

When they aren’t responding to fires and other emergencies, fire fighters clean and maintain equipment, study fire science and fire fighting techniques, conduct practice drills and fire inspections, and participate in physical fitness activities. They also prepare written reports on fire incidents and review fire science literature to stay informed about technological developments and changing administrative practices and policies.

Most fire departments have a fire prevention division, usually headed by a fire marshal and staffed by fire inspectors. Workers in this division conduct inspections of structures to prevent fires by ensuring compliance with fire codes. These inspectors also work with developers and planners to check and approve plans for new buildings and inspect buildings under construction.

Some fire fighters become fire investigators, who determine the causes of fires. They collect evidence, interview witnesses, and prepare reports on fires in cases where the cause may be arson or criminal negligence. They often are asked to testify in court. In some cities, these investigators work in police departments, and some are employed by insurance companies.

Fire fighters spend much of their time at fire stations, which are usually similar to dormitories.

When an alarm sounds, fire fighters respond, regardless of the weather or hour. Fire fighting involves the risk of death or injury from floors caving in, walls toppling, traffic accidents, and exposure to flames and smoke. Fire fighters also may come into contact with poisonous, flammable, or explosive gases and chemicals and radioactive materials, which may have immediate or long-term effects on their health. For these reasons, they must wear protective gear that can be very heavy and hot.

Work hours of fire fighters are longer and more varied than the hours of most other workers. Many fire fighters work more than 50 hours a week, and sometimes they may work longer. In some agencies, fire fighters are on duty for 24 hours, then off for 48 hours, and receive an extra day off at intervals. In others, they work a day shift of 10 hours for 3 or 4 days, a night shift of 14 hours for 3 or 4 nights, have 3 or 4 days off, and then repeat the cycle. In addition, fire fighters often work extra hours at fires and other emergencies and are regularly assigned to work on holidays.

Fire lieutenants and fire captains often work the same hours as the fire fighters they supervise.

Most municipal jobs require passing written and physical tests. All fire fighters receive extensive training after being hired.

The completion of community college courses, or an associate degree, in Fire Science improves an applicant’s chances for a job.

A number of colleges and universities offer courses leading to 2- or 4-year degrees in Fire Engineering or Fire Science. In recent years, an increasing proportion of new fire fighters have had some education after high school. Candidates with some education after high school are increasingly preferred.

As a rule, entry-level workers in large fire departments are trained for several weeks at the department’s training center or academy. Through classroom instruction and practical training, the recruits study fire fighting techniques, fire prevention, hazardous materials control, local building codes, and emergency medical procedures, including first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). They also learn how to use axes, chain saws, fire extinguishers, ladders, and other fire fighting and rescue equipment. After successfully completing this training, the recruits are assigned to a fire company, where they undergo a period of probation.

Many fire departments have accredited apprenticeship programs lasting up to 4 years. These programs combine formal instruction with on-the-job training under the supervision of experienced fire fighters.

Almost all departments require fire fighters to be certified as emergency medical technicians. Although most fire departments require the lowest level of certification, Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-Basic), larger departments in major metropolitan areas increasingly require paramedic certification. Some departments include this training in the fire academy, whereas others prefer that recruits earn EMT certification on their own but will give them up to 1 year to do it.

In addition to participating in training programs conducted by local fire departments, some fire fighters attend training sessions sponsored by the U.S. National Fire Academy. These training sessions cover topics such as executive development, anti-arson techniques, disaster preparedness, hazardous materials control, and public fire safety and education. Some States also have either voluntary or mandatory fire fighter training and certification programs. Many fire departments offer fire fighters incentives such as tuition reimbursement or higher pay for completing advanced training.

Applicants for municipal fire fighting jobs usually must pass a written exam; tests of strength, physical stamina, coordination, and agility; and a medical examination that includes a drug screening. Workers may be monitored on a random basis for drug use after accepting employment. Examinations are generally open to people who are at least 18 years of age and have a high school education or its equivalent.

Those who receive the highest scores in all phases of testing have the best chances of being hired. Higher education can provide the intellectual and informational edge that makes all the difference.

Among the personal qualities fire fighters need are mental alertness, self-discipline, courage, mechanical aptitude, endurance, strength, and a sense of public service. Initiative and good judgment also are extremely important because fire fighters make quick decisions in emergencies. Members of a crew live and work closely together under conditions of stress and danger for extended periods, so they must be dependable and able to get along well with others. Leadership qualities are necessary for officers, who must establish and maintain discipline and efficiency, as well as direct the activities of the fire fighters in their companies.

Most experienced fire fighters continue studying to improve their job performance and prepare for promotion examinations. To progress to higher level positions, they acquire expertise in advanced fire fighting equipment and techniques, building construction, emergency medical technology, writing, public speaking, management and budgeting procedures, and public relations.

Opportunities for promotion depend upon the results of written examinations, as well as job performance, interviews, and seniority. Hands-on tests that simulate real-world job situations are also used by some fire departments.

Usually, fire fighters are first promoted to engineer, then lieutenant, captain, battalion chief, assistant chief, deputy chief, and, finally, chief.

For promotion to positions higher than battalion chief, many fire departments now require a bachelor’s degree, preferably in fire science, public administration, or a related field.

An associate degree is required for executive fire officer certification from the National Fire Academy.

In 2006, total paid employment in firefighting occupations was about 361,000. Fire fighters held about 293,000 jobs, first-line supervisors/managers of fire fighting and prevention workers held about 52,000, and fire inspectors and investigators held about 14,000 jobs. These employment figures include only paid career fire fighters—they do not cover volunteer fire fighters, who perform the same duties and may constitute the majority of fire fighters in a residential area. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, about 71 percent of fire companies were staffed entirely by volunteer fire fighters in 2005.

About 9 out of 10 fire fighting workers were employed by local government. Some large cities have thousands of career fire fighters, while many small towns have only a few. Most of the remainder worked in fire departments on Federal and State installations, including airports. Private fire fighting companies employ a small number of fire fighters.

In response to the expanding role of fire fighters, some municipalities have combined fire prevention, public fire education, safety, and emergency medical services into a single organization commonly referred to as a public safety organization. Some local and regional fire departments are being consolidated into countywide establishments to reduce administrative staffs, cut costs, and establish consistent training standards and work procedures.

Although employment is expected to grow as fast as the average for all jobs, candidates for these positions are expected to face keen competition as these positions are highly attractive and sought after. Again, a degree can only help in such a competitive job market.

Employment of workers in fire fighting occupations is expected to grow by 12 percent over the 2006-2016 decade, which is as fast as the average for all occupations. Most job growth will stem from volunteer fire fighting positions being converted to paid positions.

Prospective fire fighters are expected to face keen competition for available job openings. Many people are attracted to fire fighting because, it is challenging and provides the opportunity to perform an essential public service; a high school education is usually sufficient for entry; and a pension is usually guaranteed after 25 years work. Consequently, the number of qualified applicants in most areas far exceeds the number of job openings.

The written examination and physical requirements eliminate many applicants. Those who have completed some fire fighter education at a community college, and have EMT or paramedic certification will have an additional advantage. A degree can make all the difference, as we’ve said, if all else is equal.

The pay is steady and upscale. Higher positions involving degrees and tenure can pay very handsomely.

Median annual earnings of fire fighters were $41,190 in May 2006.
The middle 50 percent earned between $29,550 and $54,120.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $20,660, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $66,140.
Median annual earnings were $41,600 in local government, $41,070 in the Federal Government, and $37,000 in State governments.

Median annual earnings of first-line supervisors/managers of fire fighting and prevention workers were $62,900 in May 2006.
The middle 50 percent earned between $50,180 and $79,060.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $36,820, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $97,820.

First-line supervisors/managers of fire fighting and prevention workers employed in local government earned a median of about $64,070 a year.

Median annual earnings of fire inspectors and investigators were $48,050 in May 2006.
The middle 50 percent earned between $36,960 and $61,160 a year.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,840, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $74,930.
Fire inspectors and investigators employed in local government earned a median of about $49,690 a year.

According to the International City-County Management Association, average salaries in 2006 for sworn full-time positions were as follows:

Fire fighters who average more than a certain number of work hours per week are required to be paid overtime. The hours threshold is determined by the department. Fire fighters often earn overtime for working extra shifts to maintain minimum staffing levels or during special emergencies.

Fire fighters receive benefits that usually include medical and liability insurance, vacation and sick leave, and some paid holidays. Almost all fire departments provide protective clothing (helmets, boots, and coats) and breathing apparatus, and many also provide dress uniforms.

Fire fighters generally are covered by pension plans, often providing retirement at half pay after 25 years of service or if the individual is disabled in the line of duty.

Like fire fighters, emergency medical technicians and paramedics and police and detectives respond to emergencies and save lives.

So now you know— fire fighting involves hazardous conditions and long, irregular hours.

But you still want it. It’s calling you home. It’s what you want to be.

Even as a kid, when a big engine went wailing down the street, with steely-eyed men in fire-suits hanging on, you felt a thrill that has still never gone away.

And you know that applicants for fire fighting jobs must pass written, physical, and medical examinations. You’ll be ready.

Most of all, you know this now— that although employment is expected to grow faster than the average, huge competition for jobs is expected.

Why? because fire-fighting attracts so many sincere and qualified candidates.

And because you now know all this, you are going to get into amazing physical condition, while you get that Fire Science degree.

Because you want all the knowledge and training possible to have your back, when you fight your way inside the burning belly of a beast— into a fire, a hell on earth!

Information about a career as a fire fighter may be obtained from local fire departments and from either of the following organizations:

• International Association of Fire Fighters, 1750 New York Ave. N.W., Washington, DC 20006. http://www.iaff.org
• U.S. Fire Administration, 16825 South Seton Ave., Emmitsburg, MD 21727. http://www.usfa.dhs.gov

Information about professional qualifications and a list of colleges and universities offering 2- or 4-year degree programs in fire science or fire prevention may be obtained from:

• National Fire Academy, 16825 South Seton Ave., Emmitsburg, MD 21727. http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/nfa/index.htm

What is the “Human Habitat”? We have grown to think of our world as separate, apart from the world of all other living things, but now we realize, (hopefully not too late), that there is only one habitat. All life forms on earth must share the space we live in.

Artificial energy is the drug of our world. It’s fed into our homes, our cars, our offices, our machines.

Power can be defined as molecules or atoms in motion. This energy motion is fed through our inert machines, to animate them, to drive them as slave to our purposes— and our purposes come in many forms, from wasteful-silly to life-essential.

Our current lives would be impossible without energy, unless we marched straight back in to the Stone Age. And even if we did, very soon we would have burned all the trees in our campfires, and our world be soon become very raw and very cold. But we would still have our landfills full of plastic bags and old desktops. And the sun would still shine.

Mostly, we love our cars. Our guilt trip over big oil spills typically vanishes, when we get behind the wheel and step on the gas, and are transported, like a flight of magic.
The simple act of walking into a restroom, turning on the light, and washing your hands, uses the products of perhaps four different utilities. Electricity powers the light, water supply systems provide water for washing, wastewater treatment plants treat the sewage, and natural gas or electricity heats the water.

The utilities sector is comprised of three distinctly different industries— Electric power generation, transmission, and distribution.

Electric plants harness highly pressurized steam, flowing water, or some force of nature to spin the blades of a turbine, which is attached to an electric generator. Coal is the dominant fuel used to generate steam in electric power plants, followed by nuclear power, natural gas, petroleum, and other energy sources.

Hydroelectric generators are powered by the release of the tremendous pressure of water existing at the bottom of a dam or near a waterfall. Renewable sources of electric power—including geothermal, wind, and solar energy—are expanding rapidly, but only make up a small percentage of total generation.

Of course, there is Nuclear energy. We fear it most, with horrific examples like Chernobyl, but coal-fired plants worldwide produce by far the most harm to our environment.

Legislative changes and industry competition have created new classes of firms that generate and sell electricity. Some industrial plants have their own electricity-generating facilities, capable of producing more power than they require. Those that sell their excess power to utilities or to other industrial plants are called non-utility generators (NUGs).

Independent power producers are a type of NUG that are electricity-generating plants designed to take advantage of both industry deregulation and the latest generating technology to compete directly with utilities for industrial and other wholesale customers.

Transmission lines supported by huge towers connect generating plants with industrial customers and substations. At substations, the electricity’s voltage is reduced and made available for household and small business use via distribution lines, which usually are carried by telephone poles.

Natural gas, a clear odorless gas, is found underground, often near or associated with crude oil reserves. Exploration and extraction of natural gas is part of the oil and gas extraction industry, covered elsewhere in the Career Guide to Industries. Once found and brought to the surface, it is transported throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico by gas transmission companies using pressurized pipelines.

Local distribution companies take natural gas from the pipeline, depressurize it, add its odor, and operate the system that delivers the gas from transmission pipelines to industrial, residential, and commercial customers. Industrial customers, such as chemical and paper manufacturing firms, account for almost a third of natural gas consumption.

Electric power plants, residential customers who use gas for heating and cooking, and commercial businesses—such as hospitals and restaurants—account for most of the remaining consumption.

Utilities (and the services they provide) are so vital to everyday life that they are considered public goods, and are typically heavily regulated. The various segments of the utilities industry vary in the degree to which their workers are involved in production activities, administration and management, or research and development.

Electric utilities generally operate larger plants using very expensive, high technology equipment, and thus employ more professional and technical personnel.

Such professionals usually have degrees in engineering or management, or both.

In 2005, Congress passed a new Energy Policy Act, which is the first major legislation on energy since 1992. This will be a major force in the industry through 2016. It was designed to promote conservation and use of cleaner technologies in energy production through higher efficiency standards and tax credits. It is expected that several new power plants will be built as a result of this legislation, including new clean-burning coal and nuclear facilities.

Electricity, gas, and water are used continuously throughout each day. As a result, split, weekend, and night shifts are common for utility workers. The average workweek for production workers in utilities was 41.4 hours in 2006, compared with 33.4 hours for all trade, transportation, and utilities industries, and 33.9 hours for all private industries. Employees often must work overtime to accommodate peaks in demand and to repair damage caused by storms, cold weather, accidents, and other occurrences. The industry employs relatively few part-time workers.

About 226,000 jobs—approximately 41 percent of all wage and salary jobs in the utilities industry—were in production or installation, maintenance, and repair occupations in 2006. About 21 percent of jobs were in office and administrative support occupations; 14 percent were in professional and related occupations; and 12 percent were in management, business, and financial occupations. The remaining jobs were in construction, transportation, sales, and service occupations.

Production and installation, maintenance, and repair personnel install and maintain pipelines and powerlines, operate and fix plant machinery, and monitor treatment processes. For example, electrical powerline installers and repairers install and repair cables or wires used in electrical power or distribution systems. They install insulators, wooden poles, transformers, and light- or heavy-duty transmission towers. First-line supervisors and managers directly supervise and coordinate the activities of production and repair workers. These supervisors coordinate workload and work assignments and help to ensure a safe and productive work environment.

Production occupations include power plant operators, power distributors and dispatchers, and water and liquid waste treatment plant operators.

Power plant operators control or operate machinery, such as stream-driven turbine generators, to generate electric power, often using control boards or semi-automatic equipment. Power distributors and dispatchers coordinate, regulate, or distribute electricity or steam in generating stations, over transmission lines to substations, and over electric power lines.

Industrial machinery mechanics install, repair, and maintain machinery in power generating stations, gas plants, and water treatment plants. They repair and maintain the mechanical components of generators, waterwheels, water-inlet controls, and piping in generating stations; steam boilers, condensers, pumps, compressors, and similar equipment in gas manufacturing plants; and equipment used to process and distribute water for public and industrial uses.

General maintenance and repair workers perform work involving a variety of maintenance skills to keep machines, mechanical equipment, and the structure of an establishment in repair. Generally found in small establishments, these workers have duties that may involve pipefitting, boilermaking, electrical work, carpentry, welding, and installing new equipment.

Professional and related occupations in this industry include engineers and computer specialists. Degrees are a basic requirement for this higher level.

Engineers develop technologies that allow, for example, utilities to produce and transmit gas and electricity more efficiently and water more cleanly. They also may develop improved methods of landfill or wastewater treatment operations in order to maintain compliance with government regulations.

Computer specialists develop computer systems to automate utility processes; provide plant simulators for operator training; and improve operator decision making.

Engineering technicians assist engineers in research activities and may conduct some research independently.

Managers and administrators in the utilities industry plan, organize, direct, and coordinate management activities. They often are responsible for maintaining an adequate supply of electricity, gas, water, steam, or sanitation service.

Utilities provide career opportunities for persons with varying levels of experience and education. However, because the utilities industry consists of many different companies and products, skills developed in one segment of the industry may not be transferable to other segments.

High school graduates qualify for many entry-level production jobs. In some cases, however, safety and security regulations require higher standards for employment, such as documented proof of the skills and abilities necessary to complete the work.

As a result, a degree from a college, university, or technical school is often required.

Substantial advancement is possible even within a single occupation. For example, power plant operators may move up through several levels of responsibility until they reach the highest paying operator jobs.

Advancement in production occupations generally requires mastery of advanced skills on the job— usually with some formal training provided by the employer or through additional vocational training at a 2-year technical college or trade school.

Most computer, engineering, and technician jobs require technical education after high school, although opportunities exist for persons with degrees ranging from an associate degree to a doctorate. These workers are usually familiar with company objectives and production methods which, combined with college education, equip them with many of the tools necessary for advancement to top management positions.

Graduates of 2-year technical institutes usually fill technician positions. Sometimes, graduates of engineering programs will start as technicians until an opportunity to advance into an engineering position arises.

Managerial jobs generally require a 4-year college degree, although a 2-year technical degree may be sufficient in smaller plants. Managers usually can advance into higher level management jobs without additional formal training outside the workplace.

Electric power, natural gas and water continue to be essential to everyday life. However, employment declines overall could result from the retirement of much of the industry’s workforce. These positions may be replaced by new engineers, managers, and workers, at a more efficient rate. While utilities are doing what they can to replace these workers, the wide variety of careers open to people with technical skills will make it difficult for companies to find enough applicants to fill these openings.

For all these reasons, job prospects for qualified applicants entering the utilities industry are expected to be excellent during the next 10 years.

As of 2006, about 55 percent of the utilities industry workforce is over the age of 45. Many of these workers will either retire or prepare to retire within the next 10 years. Because on-the-job training is very intensive in many utilities industry occupations, preparing a new workforce will be one of the industry’s highest priorities during the next decade.

Computer systems analysts and network systems and data communications analysts are expected to be among the fastest growing occupations in the professional and related occupations group, as plants emphasize automation and productivity.

Some office and administrative support workers, such as utilities meter readers and bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks, are among those adversely affected by increasing automation and outsourcing. Technologies including radio-transmitted meter reading and computerized billing procedures are expected to decrease employment.

New technologies will create jobs for highly skilled technical personnel (with the education and experience to take advantage of these developments in electric utilities).

Overall, production workers in the utilities industry had average weekly earnings of $27.42 in 2006. Earnings varied by industry segment within utilities.

Earnings in utilities were generally higher than earnings in other industries. The hourly earnings for production workers in utilities averaged $27.42 in 2006, compared with $16.76 in all private industry. This was due in part to more overtime and weekend work, as utility plant operations must be monitored 24 hours a day.

Who qualifies? Persons with college training or advanced technical education will have the best opportunities.

What do they need? Specialized education is essential. Skills developed in one segment of the industry may not be transferable to other segments, because the utilities industry consists of many different companies and products.

Is it worth it? Earnings for production workers are significantly higher than in most other industries.

And what about the future? Almost half of the utilities workforce will be nearing retirement age within the next 10 years, resulting in excellent opportunities for qualified entrants.

Global warming and weirdness has got our attention, at last. Energy companies and governments are finally trying to pay more than lip service to the enormity of the problem, radical weather shifts that could destroy life on earth.

And yet, we must have power. Could solar power save us? Tidal power? Wind power? Combined with reducing our fossil-fuel demands?

If such alternate energy sources were weapons of war, we would already have them in use. 57% of the U.S. budget is spent on “defense”.

If you choose a career in the field of energy, you may become a pioneer of the new way of powering the human habitat, without further destroying the global habitat.

The future is yours, to win or lose. Get the degree than will empower your ability not help improve our world.

Invest yourself in the knowledge that will make change— not from the outside, as a mere observer— but from inside the power industry itself!

General information on employment in the utilities industry is available from local utilities and:

• Center for Energy Workforce Development, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20004-2696. http://www.cewd.org

Information on employment in electric power generation and distribution is available from:

• American Public Power Association, 2301 M St. NW, Washington, DC 20037-1484. http://www.appanet.org
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, 900 7th St. NW, Washington, DC 20001.

Information on employment in natural gas transmission and distribution is available from:

• American Public Gas Association, 201 Massachusetts Ave. NE, Suite C-4, Washington, DC 20002. http://www.apga.org

Information on employment in water and wastewater treatment is available from:

• American Water Works Association, 6666 West Quincy, Denver, CO 80235. http://www.awwa.org
• Water Environment Federation, 601 Wythe St., Alexandria, VA 22314. http://www.wef.org

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