Working for in the field of Homeland Security offers graduates the chance to serve and protect the country in a number of different ways. Jim Doane, a director of Homeland Security and Criminal Justice programs, told the Beaumont Enterprise that he encounters a number of misconceptions about careers in the field - such as the one that jobs are limited to a single national agency. Instead, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) encompasses the duties of 22 different organizations, including the US Coast Guard, US Customs and Border Protection and the Transport Security Administration. Graduates can pursue jobs with any of these agencies, giving them the opportunity to work in a number of different - but nevertheless important - fields. The US Coast Guard, for example, is responsible for checking the cargo of vessels entering the country's ports, whereas the Federal Emergency Management Agency coordinates disaster response, including the relief efforts currently underway in Texas following Hurricane Ike. Furthermore, as 85% of critical infrastructure is privately owned, there are also opportunities to work outside of government agencies, Mr Doane said. Other member agencies of the DHS include the Federal Computer Incident Response Center, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the US Secret Service.  |