Research Activity: Career Week

Occupation #1
2012 Median Pay
Entry-Level Education
On-the-Job Training

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists

$66,790peryear
$32.11perhour

Bachelors degree
Short-term on-the-job training
62,900

Number of Jobs, 2012

Job Outlook, 2012-22
Employment Change,
2012 - 2020

Click on What They Do

List the duties of this
occupation

Name: _________________________

7% (Slower than average)

4,200

Identifyhazardsintheworkplace

Collectsamplesofpotentiallytoxicmaterialsforanalysis

Inspectandevaluateworkplaceenvironments,equipment,andpractices
forcompliancewithcorporateandgovernmenthealthandsafety
standardsandregulations

Designandimplementworkplaceprocessesandproceduresthathelp
protectworkersfrompotentiallyhazardousworkconditions

Investigateaccidentsandincidentstoidentifytheircausesandto
determinehowtheymightbepreventedinthefuture

Conducttrainingonavarietyoftopicssuchasemergencypreparedness

Norris, 2015

Research Activity: Career Week

Name: _________________________

Occupationalhealthandsafetyspecialiststypicallyneedabachelorsdegreein
occupationalhealth,safety,orarelatedscientificortechnicalfield,suchasengineering,
biology,orchemistry.Forsomepositions,amastersdegreeisrequiredinindustrial
hygiene,healthphysics,orarelatedsubject.
Typicalcoursesincluderadiationscience,hazardousmaterialmanagementandcontrol,
riskcommunications,andrespiratoryprotection.Thesecoursesmayvary,dependingon
thespecialtyinwhichastudentwantstowork.Forexample,coursesinhealthphysics
focusontopicsthatdifferfromthoseinindustrialhygiene.

Click on How to Become

One
List:
Education
Licenses,
Certifications, and
Registrations
Important Qualities
(only what is bold)

Internshipsarenotrequired,butemployersmayprefertohirecandidateswhohave
participatedinone.
Highschoolstudentsinterestedinbecomingoccupationalhealthandsafetyspecialists
shouldtakecoursesinEnglish,math,chemistry,biology,andphysics.
Althoughcertificationisvoluntary,manyemployersencourageit.Certificationis
availablethroughseveralorganizations,dependingonthefieldinwhichthespecialists
work.Specialistsmusthavegraduatedfromanaccreditededucationalprogramandhave
workexperiencetobeeligibletotakemostcertificationexams.Tokeeptheir
certification,specialistsareusuallyrequiredtocompleteperiodiccontinuingeducation.

Ability to use technology

Communication skills
Detail oriented
Physical stamina
Problem-solving skills

Click on Pay
What is the median
annual pay for this
occupation?

Themedianannualwageforoccupationalhealthandsafetyspecialistswas
$66,790inMay2012.Themedianwageisthewageatwhichhalftheworkersin
anoccupationearnedmorethanthatamountandhalfearnedless.Thelowest10
percentearnedlessthan$40,080,andthetop10percentearnedmorethan
$97,380.
Mostoccupationalhealthandsafetyspecialistsworkfulltime.Somespecialists
mayworkweekendsorirregularhoursinemergencysituations.

Norris, 2015

Research Activity: Career Week

Click on Job Outlook

List:
Employment, 2012
Projected
Employment, 2022
Change in Percent
Change in Numbers
(Numeric)
Occupation #2
2012 Median Pay
Entry-Level Education
On-the-Job Training
Number of Jobs, 2012
Job Outlook, 2012-22
Employment Change,
2012 - 2020
Click on What They Do
List the duties of this
occupation

Name: _________________________

Employment, 2012: 62,900

Projected Employment, 2022: 67,100
Change in Percent: 7%
Change in Numbers (Numeric): 4,200

Atmospheric and Space Scientists

$89,260 per year
$42.91 per hour
Bachelors degree
None
11,100
10% (As fast as average)
1,100

Measuretemperature,pressure,humidity,windspeed,dewpoint,and
otherpropertiesoftheatmosphere

Usecomputermodelsthatanalyzedataabouttheatmosphere(alsocalled
meteorologicaldata)

Writecomputerprogramstosupporttheirmodelingefforts

Produceweathermapsandgraphics

Reportcurrentweatherconditions

Preparelongandshorttermweatherforecastsusingsophisticated
computers,mathematicalmodels,satellites,radar,andlocalstationdata

Plan,organize,andparticipateinoutreachprogramsaimedateducating
thepublicaboutweather

Issuewarningstoprotectlifeandpropertywhenthreatenedbysevere
weather,suchashurricanes,tornadoes,andflashfloods

Norris, 2015

Research Activity: Career Week

Click on How to Become
One
List:
Education
Licenses,
Certifications, and
Registrations
Important Qualities
(only what is bold)

Name: _________________________

Atmosphericscientiststypicallyneedabachelorsdegree,eitherinatmosphericscienceor
arelatedscientificfieldthatspecificallystudiesatmosphericqualitiesandphenomena.A
bachelorsdegreeinphysics,chemistry,orgeologymaybeadequatealternatemajorsfor
thosewhowishtoentertheatmosphericsciences.Manyschoolsofferatmospheric
sciencecoursesthroughotherdepartments,suchasphysicsandgeosciences.Prospective
meteorologistsusuallytakecoursesoutsideofthetypicalatmosphericsciencesfield.
Courserequirements,inadditiontocoursesinmeteorologyandatmosphericscience,
usuallyincludeadvancedcoursesinphysicsandmathematics.Classesincomputer
programmingareimportantbecausemanyatmosphericscientistshavetowriteandedit
thecomputersoftwareprogramsthatproduceforecasts.Courseworkincommunicationsis
alsobecomingimportantasorganizationsarebecomingmorefocusedonmakingtheir
datausefulandeducatingtheircommunitiesandthenation.
Coursesshouldbetakeninsubjectsthatarerelevanttotheirdesiredareaofspecialization.
Forexample,thosewhowishtobecomebroadcastmeteorologistsforradioortelevision
stationsmaytakecoursesinspeech,journalism,orrelatedfields.
Atmosphericscientistswhoworkinresearchmustatleasthaveamastersdegree,butwill
usuallyneedaPh.D.inatmosphericscienceorarelatedfield.Mostgraduateprogramsdo
notrequireprospectivestudentstohaveabachelorsdegreeinatmosphericscience.A
bachelorsdegreeinmathematics,physics,orengineeringisexcellentpreparationfor
graduatestudyinatmosphericscience.Inadditiontoadvancedmeteorological
coursework,graduatestudentstakecoursesinotherdisciplines,suchasoceanographyand
geophysics.

Although it is not necessary for entry, a masters degree in

atmospheric science can greatly enhance employment
opportunities, pay, and advancement potential for
meteorologists in government and private industry. A
masters degree in business administration (MBA) may be
useful for meteorologists interested in working in private
industry as consultants who help firms make important
business decisions on the basis of their forecasts.

Communication skills
Critical-thinking skills
Math skills

Norris, 2015

Research Activity: Career Week

Click on Pay
What is the median
annual pay for this
occupation?
Click on Job Outlook
List:
Employment, 2012
Projected
Employment, 2022
Change in Percent
Change in Numbers
(Numeric)

Occupation #3
2012 Median Pay
Entry-Level Education

The median annual wage for atmospheric scientists was

$89,260 in May 2012. The median wage is the wage at
which half the workers in an occupation earned more than
that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent
earned less than $49,120, and the top 10 percent earned
more than $134,730.
Employment, 2012: 11,100
Projected Employment, 2022: 12,200
Change in Percent: 10%
Change in Numbers (Numeric): 1,100

Health and Safety Engineers

$76,830 per year
$36.94 per hour
Bachelorsdegree

On-the-Job Training

None

Number of Jobs, 2012

24,100

Job Outlook, 2012-22

Employment Change,
2012 - 2020
Click on What They Do
List the duties of this
occupation

Name: _________________________

11%(Asfastasaverage)
2,600

Reviewplansandspecificationsfornewmachineryandequipmenttomakesure
theymeetsafetyrequirements

Identifyandcorrectpotentialhazardsbyinspectingfacilities,machinery,and
safetyequipment

Evaluatetheeffectivenessofvariousindustrialcontrolmechanisms

Ensurethatabuildingorproductcomplieswithhealthandsafetyregulations,
especiallyafteraninspectionthatrequiredchanges

Installsafetydevicesonmachineryordirecttheinstallationofthesedevices

Reviewemployeesafetyprogramsandrecommendimprovements

Maintainandapplyknowledgeofcurrentpolicies,regulations,andindustrial
processes

Norris, 2015

Research Activity: Career Week

Click on How to Become

One
List:
Education
Licenses,
Certifications, and
Registrations
Important Qualities
(only what is bold)

Name: _________________________

Highschoolstudentsinterestedinbecominghealthandsafetyengineerswillbenefitfrom
takinghighschoolcoursesinmath,suchasalgebra,trigonometry,andcalculus;and
science,suchasbiology,chemistry,andphysics.
Entryleveljobsasahealthandsafetyengineerrequireabachelor'sdegree.Bachelor's
degreeprogramstypicallyare4yearprogramsandincludeclassroom,laboratory,and
fieldstudiesinappliedengineering.Inadditiontoprogramsinmechanical,electrical,and
industrialengineering,programsinsystemsengineeringandfireprotectionengineering
areofferedatsomecollegesanduniversities.Studentsinterestedinbecomingahealthand
safetyengineershouldseekoutcourseworkinoccupationalsafetyandhealth,industrial
hygiene,ergonomics,orenvironmentalsafety.
Studentsinterestedinenteringtherelativelynewfieldofsoftwaresafetyengineeringmay
pursueadegreeincomputerscience.
Manycollegesanduniversitiesoffercooperativeprograms,whichallowstudentstogain
practicalexperiencewhilecompletingtheireducation.
Afewcollegesanduniversitiesoffer5yearacceleratedprogramsthatleadtobotha
bachelorsandamastersdegree.Amastersdegreeallowsengineerstoenterthe
occupationatahigherlevel,wheretheycandevelopandimplementsafetysystems.

AdegreefromanABETaccreditedengineeringprogram

ApassingscoreontheFundamentalsofEngineering(FE)exam

Relevantworkexperience,typicallyatleast4years

ApassingscoreontheProfessionalEngineering(PE)exam

Creativity
Critical-thinking skills
Norris, 2015

Research Activity: Career Week

Name: _________________________

Observational skills
Problem-solving skills
Reading skills

Click on Pay
What is the median
annual pay for this
occupation?
Click on Job Outlook
List:
Employment, 2012
Projected
Employment, 2022
Change in Percent
Change in Numbers
(Numeric)

The median annual wage for health and safety engineers

was $76,830 in May 2012. The median wage is the wage at
which half the workers in an occupation earned more than
that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent
earned less than $45,370, and the top 10 percent earned
more than $118,750.
Employment, 2012: 24,100
Projected Employment, 2022: 26,700
Change in Percent: 11%
Change in Numbers (Numeric): 2,600

Norris, 2015