How A Career Cluster Survey Led You To A Public Safety Career Inquiry

Guidance counselors in middle and high school help engage students in conversations around their future goals, focusing on academic and career interests. One way of helping students uncover their ideal jobs is through career assessments; these “tests” do not check for right or wrong answers. Instead, they aim to uncover your unique interests, educational background, and other factors to determine the right career for you.

Surveys and assessment types may vary, but most aim to match each student with a career cluster that best fits their goals, interests, and background. What is a career cluster? This unique grouping of jobs and careers might be why you found this site and this blog. Let’s delve into the clusters! 

The 16 Career Clusters Uncovered

Career clusters are related groups of jobs. These clusters allow you to understand a broad career segment where their natural talents can thrive. Each cluster includes numerous career pathways; clusters segment into different career branches, providing various options for each individual. There are 16 career clusters:

• Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources

• Architecture & Construction

• Arts, Audio/Visual Technology, and Communications

• Education & Training

• Finance

• Government & Public Administration

• Health Sciences

• Hospitality & Tourism

• Human Services

• Information Technology

• Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security

• Management

• Manufacturing

• Marketing

• Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM)

• Transportation, Distribution, & Logistics

Public safety careers are part of the “law, public safety, corrections & security” cluster. While you may be matched with this career cluster based on an assessment, your interests and personality may align much more closely with public safety versus law or corrections. If assessments or quizzes recommend a career in this part of the career cluster, you may wonder what public safety jobs are best for you. 

Cluster Branches: The Main Sectors Within Public Safety

When you understand that your future is in public safety, you must decide which branch of the public safety sector you want to pursue as a career. There are five main public safety sectors:

• Fire service

• Law enforcement

• Corrections

• Emergency medical services (EMS)

• Wildland fire service 

About Fire Service Jobs

Fire service focuses on the suppression of fire to protect property and lives. Firefighters are part of this sector, but there are numerous other available roles that you can (and should!) explore. For example, fire districts need dispatchers, administrative assistants, and other roles that support daily operations.

Law Enforcement

Roles in law enforcement enforce the legal code of a municipality or region. Police officers are the most recognizable members of the law enforcement sector. In addition, available law enforcement roles include highway patrol, drug enforcement agents, dispatchers, state troopers, school resource officers (SROs), and more.

Corrections

Roles in the corrections system involve working in prisons, jails, and other correctional institutions. Some roles within this sector include corrections officers, parole officers, nurses, and food service workers.

Emergency Medical Services

The EMS sector provides first-response emergency medical care during accidents, emergencies, and other life-threatening situations. Roles in this sector include emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics.

Wildland Fire Services

These specialized fire teams manage the suppression and control of wildfires. This sector and its numerous roles are crucial in mitigating the damaging, devastating wildfires in Missouri’s forests and woodlands. 

The Results of Your Career Cluster Survey

If you’re wondering, “What’s the best public safety job for me?” use the Missouri Public Safety Jobs site to learn more about your options. You may already feel a pull toward a specific sector within public safety. 

The site helps you explore all the different roles within a particular public safety sector, helping you uncover how you can advance your career. The site also creates the framework for educational planning for high school students. The job role page includes the background and details about every public safety role. Use it to learn all the requirements you need for a career in public safety.

The programs page is a useful resource for students and job seekers. Programs provide opportunities for a hands-on and immersive learning experience to explore whether a role fits. Camp Fury is one of several programs that can be explored on our site; this camp for teen girls is aimed at helping them explore a career in firefighting through activities, challenges, and more. 

Find Your Public Safety Job for a Life-Long Career

The Missouri Public Safety Jobs website is the ultimate resource for learning more about jobs in public safety and researching each role. Use the site to uncover immersive programs, internships, and more. When you’re ready to job hunt, visit our jobs page and explore all the available jobs throughout Missouri. Your job in public safety awaits!