A career in border security may not be the first thing that comes to mind when people talk about dream careers. In fact, careers in law enforcement have only gotten more popular in recent years, mainly due to the portrayal of this field in popular culture.
In reality, a career in border security is actually very attractive. It is a rewarding career, an opportunity to serve your country, and a career that promises a bright future. You also have the opportunity to branch out into other fields – including intelligence.
If you are thinking about building a career in border security, you have come to the right page. In this article, we are going to review everything you need to know about a career in border security. Let’s get started!
Problems and Demand
The demand for capable border security officers has risen steeply this past year, and the trend is holding steady as we go further into 2020. Experts are predicting a steady growth of this field for five to 10 more years. Some are even predicting a more sustainable growth than that.
The reason why the demand for border security officers is rising is the growing number of problems at the borders. Border security deals with issues that are far more complex than illegal crossings in most cases.
Wilfrid Laurier University has a detailed article on the two most common border issues. They are:
- smuggling
- increased asylum seekers
The university is also a leading name in programs such as Master of Public Safety, which is the degree you need if you want to pursue a career in this field.
A Rewarding Career
A career in border security is a very rewarding career nonetheless. You face greater risks when working in the field and may have to invest more time and energy into excelling in your role, but the rewards – financial and non-financial – more than justify the added risks and investments.
On average, you can expect an entry-level median salary of around $60,000 to $70,000. With a master’s degree, you can also pursue a more managerial role, which also comes with higher rewards. Additional benefits include:
- Good health coverage
- Well-planned pension
- Expenses coverage
- Family support
The career is also rewarding psychologically. After all, you are taking an active stance in protecting the country’s borders. Being involved in the process is a great way to serve the nation and contribute to the greater good.
More Professions to Choose From
Being a border security agent is not the only option if you want to build a career in this field. In fact, it is far from the only option because the majority of jobs in this field are not directly connected to fieldwork near the borders.
Other jobs you can fill are:
- Deportation agent, which – as the name suggests – deals more with deportation procedures and refugees whose asylum requests have been denied. A lot of agents have a strong legal background as well as field experience, allowing them to be very effective at what they do.
- Immigration enforcement officer, which spends more time across the nation tracking down illegal immigrants and making sure that they are deported safely to their home countries. An immigration enforcement officer also deals with visa violations and similar problems.
- Data analyst, which focuses more on analyzing data and finding ways to improve border security. Data analysts also work with policymakers and other government agencies to identify holes that often get exploited in the border security policies.
- Customs and border protection officer, which works out of the ports around the country and screen goods entering the country. This too is an important profession that helps prevent issues such as drug and animal trafficking from becoming a major catastrophe.
Newer jobs are being introduced as well. Roles that combine border security with fields like management, business, information technology, and cybersecurity are waiting to be filled. If you pursue a degree in public safety today, these jobs will be waiting for you by the time you complete the course.
There Are Requirements
Since border security careers are very demanding, don’t be surprised to see the requirements for entering this field to be just as demanding. Having the right degree or field experience alone is not enough. You also have to go through certain steps and meet specific requirements to qualify for border security roles.
A background check is almost always done to candidates who are applying for a border security job. It is too risky to allow candidates who lie about their history to fill strategic roles in our border security, isn’t it?
Tests are also carried out. The tests are designed to measure your ability to think critically, receive and convey information, and handle stressful situations while still performing your role as an agent or an analyst.
The basic requirements are no less interesting. To be considered as a candidate, you have to:
- Be 40 years old or younger in most cases (this may vary depending on the position you apply for)
- Hold citizenship
- Be eligible to carry a firearm
- Complete a field training program or earn certain certificates
Even as a border patrol administrator, you are required to perform well under different situations. This is why a field training period is usually mandatory. It is a part of the recruitment process; you’ll highly appreciate the things you learn during field training.
Other Details to Master
Depending on your current career, there are ways to bypass fieldwork when pursuing a career in border security. As mentioned before, new positions are being made available, and they often require specific skills from other fields.
For example, you can pursue a border security career as an IT analyst or a DevOps specialist. You will have a different career path to patrol agents, but that doesn’t mean you cannot reach the top and be successful in this field.
As long as you understand these tips and tricks we covered in this article, a career in border security is just a few steps away. If you are looking for a rewarding career, this a field worth considering.
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