When it comes to jobs in the Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security career cluster, many positions depend on work experiences more than education levels. Several Premier High Schools, located in areas where there is a high demand for workers in law, public safety, corrections, and security-related positions, offer a CTE pathway in law, public safety, corrections, and security. If you are interested in a job in this sector, getting advanced experience through a CTE program can help you get ahead in pursuing the career of your choice.
- Animal Control
- Correctional Officer and Jailer
- Child, Family & School Social Worker
- Firefighter
- Court Reporter
Animal Control
- Job Description: Handle animals for investigations of mistreatment, or control of abandoned, dangerous, or unattended animals.
- Growth: 28%
- Wage: $28,858
- Openings: 300
- Education: Requires moderate-term on-the-job training. The majority of employees have a high school diploma or better.
Correctional Officer and Jailer
- Job Description: Guard inmates in penal or rehabilitative institutions in accordance with established regulations and procedures. May guard prisoners in transit between jail, courtroom, prison, or other points. Includes deputy sheriffs and police who spend the majority of their time guarding prisoners in correctional institutions.
- Growth: 28%
- Wage: $29,872
- Openings: 13,150
- Education: Requires moderate-term on-the-job training. The majority of employees have some college.
Child, Family & School Social Worker
- Job Description: Provide social services to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families and to maximize the well-being and academic functioning of children. May assist single parents, arrange adoptions, and find foster homes for abandoned or abused children. In schools, may address such problems as teenage pregnancy, misbehavior, and truancy.
- Growth: 22%
- Wage: $35,539
- Openings: 3,200
- Education: Requires bachelor’s degree. The majority of employees have a four-year college degree or better.
Firefighter
- Job Description: Control and extinguish fires or respond to emergencies where life, property, or the environment is at risk. Duties may include fire prevention, emergency medical service, hazard material response, search and rescue, and disaster management.
- Growth: 21%
- Wage: $46,016
- Openings: 5,500
- Education: Requires long-term on-the-job training. The majority of employees have some college.
Court Reporter
- Job Description: Use verbatim methods and equipment to capture, store, retrieve, and transcribe pre-trial and trial proceedings or other information. Includes stenocaptioners who operate computerized stenographic captioning equipment to provide captions of live or prerecorded broadcasts for hearing-impairing viewers.
- Growth: 28%
- Wage: $49,309
- Openings: 13,150
- Education: Requires moderate-term on-the-job training. The majority of employees have some college.
The information provided about a sampling of occupations within Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security is taken from the Texas Workforce Commission and provides averages that can vary with location and time spent working. When looking at a job, understanding the education level need, growth and openings will determine the wage and eligibility. Growth in an industry often means there are more opportunities for students. The number of openings can determine the wage. Even if a job does not require extensive education, but has few openings, the job can be more competitive and pay a higher wage. For more information, visit Achieve Texas’ Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security Magazine.
While only five occupations are highlighted here, students can find more information at America’s Career InfoNet, Competency Model Clearinghouse, Occupational Information Network, and the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook.
