What Kind of Education Do You Need to Work for Homeland Security?
The Department of Homeland Security stood up Jan. 24, 2003, to keep America safe from natural and man-made disasters. Its activities include intelligence coordination, domestic nuclear detection, protection of high-level government officials, science and technology research, emergency response and border control. The department employs approximately 230,000 professionals, and has an annual budget of more than $50 billion. The DHS expects its employees to be well qualified for the jobs they hold.
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College Degrees
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Some DHS jobs require a college degree in a particular major field of study, at baccalaureate or graduate level. However, there are many occupations for which no college degree is required. Many of these positions are available at an entry grade level (typically GS-5 or GS-7) and acquire on-the-job training and experience to advance to a higher position. According to the Office of Personnel Management, these jobs are typically advertised as "trainee," "student program" or "intern" positions.
Work Experience
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If you don't have a college degree, but you have accumulated work experience, you may be qualified for several positions within the DHS. Generally, GS-5 level positions require one year of specialized experience, and a GS-7 or GS-9 level position require three to five years.
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Veterans
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According to the DHS website, the department has hired 47,000 veterans, which equates to 25 percent of its entire staff. One reason for the large veteran population of employees at DHS is that several career fields in the Department of Defense are utilized in DHS. The DHS also allows veteran preference in the application process, extending extra points to veterans, including disabled veterans.
Students
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The DHS offers several education programs for students who would like to pursue a career within the department. The DHS website hosts a web portal with information on scholarships, internships and summer research teams.
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References
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