As anyone who has been privy to the events of 9/11 and beyond knows, the field of disaster management is huge, and not only is it all inclusive of the talents required to be a part of it, but the skills required to be part of it encompass a wide variety of people. If you are looking into a career in disaster management there is a lot of good news to be had. Not only is there a lot to the field that is still to be developed, but the skills as well as the technology are constantly evolving. As such, there is a nearly insatiable need for people of nearly every description and there are positions available to those with degrees and those without.
A Degree or Not
The truth is that many of those who are currently in the field of disaster management do not have degrees. Many of these professionals “fell” into it by virtue of being in a related profession such as police and fire sciences. Since these and many others are closely related occupations, these people entered the disaster management professions as part of an assignment from their usual occupations. From there, often accompanied by a few specialized courses, disaster management became their primary function.
The College Route
It is most often when a person who is interested in being in the field of disaster management and does not have professional training, or is trained and/or educated in a different field that they begin looking at their educational options to make a career change. Fortunately, there are several options to take this direction.
Alternate but different courses are the police and fire sciences, the coursework for which is offered in many different colleges and universities across the country. And since disaster management is a closely allied profession, these educations often suffice. For those who desire to study disaster management exclusively there are generally three options: a disaster management degree, homeland security degree, and the last, emergency management certificates.
Compliments of FEMA
A quick look at the FEMA website will direct anyone to a variety of educational options for those who wish to enter the profession. Interestingly, these options emphasize institutions that are geared primarily to working professionals. As a result, this coursework is either online or executive focused to allow those with full time employment to take the coursework. There are others, such as George Washington University, that offer disaster management degrees.
In recent years, a number of colleges and universities have begun to address the educational needs of working professionals by offering certificates in disaster management, and these are increasingly common across the country.
As anyone who reads the newspaper knows, homeland security and disaster management have forced themselves into the collective minds of the American people in recent years. Fortunately, the demand to meet these needs is growing and educational institutions are working to meet the professional needs of those who wish to enter the profession.