If you are interested in giving back to the community as part of your career and life’s work, you will be glad to know that there are countless opportunities for you to serve.
From teachers to public utility workers to counsel members, our society relies heavily on the work done by civil servants. Here are a few popular career options for those interested in public service.
Public Safety
Many people with interest in public service gravitate towards careers in public safety. This broad category encompasses everything from police officers to firefighters.
Public safety workers devote themselves to protecting the public from such things as crime, fire, property damage, and natural disasters, to name a few. Without public safety workers, our lives would be much more difficult and dangerous.
Public Health
Public health workers concern themselves with the health of large groups of people, whether it be local or national. Some of the areas that public health officials contribute to are biostatistics, children’s health, epidemiology, health policy, and environmental health.
Examples of public health workers are epidemiologists who work to curb the damage done by diseases, and nurses, who can be found in nearly every medical setting. Without them, the entire country’s healthcare system would not work.
Public Education
Public education is another critical area of public service. Our entire society depends on the education of children now, for they will grow up to be future leaders and citizens.
Teachers are often unsung heroes in our society. Their work contributes significantly to our society. Elementary school teachers, high school teachers, preschool teachers, and those working in childcare perform some of the most critical work in public service.
Emergency Management
What will you do when a disaster strikes? Whether it be a hurricane, flood, forest fire, an epidemic, or any other type of disaster, you would feel much better and more assured if you knew that competent people were directing the resources to deal with the emergency.
Emergency medical director, emergency medical technician, and dispatcher are just a few of the many career paths in the field of emergency management. These professionals work in both a local and national capacity, and everywhere else in between. There are opportunities abound in this field of public service.
Military Service
Military service involves participation in one of the five branches of the United States Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Within these branches, individuals serve in various capacities that range from specific military operations to civilian operations. Individuals serving in the military are tasked with protecting and defending national interests, serving the American people, and fulfilling the nation’s military responsibilities both at home and abroad.
Elected Officials & Board Members
Elected and appointed officials serve in many capacities and are intended to be representative of the populations they serve. Elected offices and boards exist at nearly every level of government. While all other forms of public service require particular educational requirements, this is a form of public service that allows individuals of nearly any educational background to serve their communities. This is an ideal means of becoming involved in public service while serving in your area of interest or expertise. Here in the state of Missouri, you can review upcoming board vacancies and apply for a board appointment using this application. If you’re looking to serve in a local or community capacity, consider serving on a board or commission for your particular city or county.
Those interested in positions in Jefferson County, in particular, can review the current board and commission vacancies on the Jefferson County government website.
All forms of public service are honorable, valuable, and essential to the operation of our communities, states, and nation. Knowing that you’re helping to serve those in your community on a daily basis can be exciting and rewarding. I would highly encourage anyone interested in a career in public service to get involved today. There’s no time like the present to serve your community!