Firefighter Jobs

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The financial crisis and economic recession has greatly altered the setting of the U.S. economy. Over the next years, the green economy will probably create jobs that are barely known today, while the increasingly growing healthcare sector will offer new opportunities to more people. Although the setting seems to be changing, the economic recession has created several career opportunities for numerous professionals, who have managed to use the downturn and move into a fast-growing career with a promising future.

Pharmaceutical sales jobs are the most satisfying and sought after careers. Offering the flexibility to manage own schedule and the ability to travel all over the world in the most exotic places with all the expenses covered, a career in pharmaceutical sales can offer a six-figure salary. In the broader healthcare sector, the expansion of new diseases and viruses has made the need for registered nurses, pharmacists, doctors, and medical assistants increasingly important. In particular, pharmacists are gradually undertaking the role of caregiver by giving valuable advice on which over-the-counter medication is suitable for each case, assisting hypertension patients to control their blood pressure and providing instructions on diabetic patients on how to inject insulin. Similarly, registered nurses, although they have to work night shifts and weekends and they often endure an exhausting time schedule, they are specialized in critical-care specialties such as surgery, oncology, and emergency medicine, practically putting healthcare on the top of the list of best careers.

Higher education administrators are also viewed as successful professionals, for the most part because they work in a college surrounding where the atmosphere is intellectually stimulating and the work schedule is rather flexible. Typically, higher education administrators focus on providing academic preparation and professional development to current or prospect students through the preparation of a comprehensive program of study. University campuses offer a variety of management jobs because university processes tend to be bureaucratic and as such as more people are required to carry out the tasks. From student affairs to academic affairs, admissions, alumni and student health services, administration position in higher education are highly recommended for people who look for a full time, permanent job with lots of benefits. Although office politics can often be repulsive, holding a position as a higher education administrator requires political correctness at any cost.

Firefighters have become nation’s number one prestigious profession to respond to medical emergency after 9/11 terrorist attacks. Firefighters offer social service by saving people who are injured in car accidents, trapped in buildings, and endangered by earthquakes and flood and it is certain that if terrorists hit the United States again, firefighters will definitely be on the scene saving many lives. Every time firefighters enter a burning zone, they are exposed to huge danger and they undertake a huge risk. As part of their training, they are awakened by a middle-of-the-night alarm, they are exposed to smoke and hazardous materials and as a result they experience long-term damage to their health. However, because they are dedicated to their profession they love what they are doing, firefighting in ranked #1 in job satisfaction in spite of all dangers. All in all, firefighters are in a helping and successful profession that requires a two-year degree and assumes great responsibility at a young age.

Management consultants have also their share in success. Particularly, during the current financial and credit crisis, many businesses have suffered from reduced profitability and were obliged to restructure their operations in order to survive the crisis. Management consulting encompasses fresh ideas and innovative business models that can offer a business new vision. Being involved in creating business value, maximizing growth and improving business performance, management consultants can offer a company a competitive advantage with plans that are applicable in the real world and do not turn out to be expensive disasters. Operating across a wide variety of services such as business strategy, marketing, human resources, information technology, financial and management controls, e-business and operations, and supply-chain management, they identify business options with recommendations, providing additional resources and the implementation of solutions. Management consultants may be employed as in-house consultants or they may be specialized as recession business analysts offering their services towards alternative energy sources and infrastructure investments. In any case, they offer specialist expertise and industry knowledge.

When the economic recession is over and the U.S. economy expands again, new careers will emerge and new challenges will have to be met by professionals. For the time being, all the above professions are considered the best careers of 2009 based on salary figures, career prospects and job satisfaction. The future is based on a confluence of the broader economic conditions and the needs that the current recession would have created.

It is difficult to asses the motivation level of a person. It is even more difficult to dispute the commitment of someone in a medical profession. According to the recent statistics most of the Emergency Medical Trainers or EMT, as they are called, work on a volunteer basis. The United States labor department revealed that among the total number of EMT that are trained to work in the fire department, about 80 percent work for free. Similarly, The State department of health claims that nearly 70 percent of the registered EMT agencies in the United States hire on a volunteer basis. Before making or rejecting any claims let us look at some figures:

The Education of EMT

Keeping in mind the above statistics, remember that most of these EMT volunteer workers undergo at least a month of training before being officially inducted to provide the necessary life saving services. Also, among these are seasoned professionals who pass rigorous medical testing and licensing requirement to work as a full time Emergency medical trainer. It should also be noticed that many States require experienced EMT to undergo at least one year of studies. There are also several professional courses that extend to two years.

Pay & Working Hours of EMT

Now add to the fact that a full time EMT worker earns on average one of the lowest basic salaries in the nation. It is difficult to estimate the average of all the EMT workers but a rough estimate puts a pay range between $19000 and $33000 per year. Only 2 percent earn more than $50,000. If this doesn’t provide a grim picture then consider the long working hours for the EMT. On an average, an Emergency medical trainer in a firefighting department typically works 50 hours. The hours are further extended in a hospital environment. At hospitals the average can extend to 60 hours.

Is becoming an EMT a Hobby or a Duty?

It is true that the basic EMT training doesn’t require a professional degree and can be completed in a short period of time but it doesn’t mean that the volunteers and practitioners join the profession as a hobby. The statistics above are provided to strengthen the claim that the volunteers and professionals who undergo the basic EMT training are committed to serve the community and take it as their duty to fill the gap left vacant by the shortage in the healthcare system. Most of these volunteers take the basic EMT training work with the firefighting departments. No one in their right frame of mind will work in such a dangerous profession if they are not willing to take it as their duty to save human lives.

More Proof

It should also be noticed that the basic EMT training is necessary for the firefighters, police and medical professionals. All of these professions are well respected in the society and any claim to point out a professional in these jobs to undertake EMT out of the necessity, is difficult to prove. It is understood that the basic EMT training is only required in those professions which are considered to be the first line of defense against major disasters. It means that societies depend on these professionals with their lives. Therefore it is a further proof that the required basic EMT training in some department is taken seriously by a selected group of people who have already committed themselves to our well being.

For more information on emergency medical training, visit http://www.emtbasictraining.com/

Police officers face many dangers in their jobs. Police officers are constantly being faced with the unknown and the unpredictable. They never truly know the outcome of any situation they enter into. This can make policing a dangerous profession. Dangers faced by police include death, increased risk of infectious diseases, and serious and minor trauma, both physical and emotional. These dangers are encountered in many different situations i.e. apprehension/arrest and investigation of criminals, conducting vehicle stops, investigating people and crimes, protecting the public from dangerous situations or individuals, investigating traffic accidents and witnessing the carnage that often results from those accidents, responding to suicides and directing traffic.

Individuals are drawn to police work for many reasons. Among these often include a desire to protect the public and social order from criminals and danger; a desire to hold a position of respect and authority; a disdain for or antipathy towards criminals and rulebreakers; the professional challenges of the work; the employment benefits that are provided with civil service jobs in many countries; the sense of camaraderie that often holds among police; or a family tradition of police work or civil service. An important task of the recruitment activity of police agencies in many countries is screening potential candidates to determine the fitness of their character and personality for the work, often through background investigations and consultation with a psychologist.

A police officer is a person who works for a police force. It usually only refers to those who have been sworn in as law enforcement officers, and does not include civilian support personnel. A police officer is employed in most cases by federal, state/provincial or municipal governments and has the responsibility (or duty) of enforcing federal, state/provincial laws along with municipal/city ordinances. They also have the responsibility of keeping the public peace. This is usually done by uniformed pro-active patrolling within their jurisdiction looking for and investigating law breakers, and by responding to calls for service. Police officers are required to keep notes of all situations in which they take action and appear as witnesses during both criminal prosecutions and civil litigation. One of the lesser-known but most time-consuming duties of officers is completion of documentation of activity (“reporting”).

It must be noted that the responsibilities of a police officer are extremely broad and not in any way limited to the duties mentioned above. Police are expected to be able to respond in some fashion to any and all situations that may arise while they are on duty. Also police must act as government officials in the cases of investigation. In some communities rules and procedures governing conduct and duties of police officers requires that they act if needed even when off duty.

The major role of the police is to maintain order, keeping the peace through enforcement of laws and societal norms. They also function to discourage deter and investigate crimes, with particular emphases on crime against persons or property and the maintenance of public order, and if able to apprehend suspected perpetrator(s), to detain them, and inform the appropriate authorities. Police are often used as an emergency service and may provide a public safety function at large gatherings, as well as in emergencies, disasters, and search and rescue situations. To provide a prompt response in emergencies, the police often coordinate their operations with fire and emergency medical services. In many countries there is a common emergency service number that allows the police, firefighters or medical services to be summoned to an emergency.

Police are also responsible for reporting minor offences by issuing citations which typically may result in the imposition of fines, particularly for violations of traffic law. Police sometimes involve themselves in the maintenance of public order, even where no legal transgressions have occurred.

Candidates for the police force must have completed some formal education. Increasing numbers of people are joining the police force who possess tertiary education and in response to this many police forces have developed a “fast-track” scheme whereby those with university degrees spend 2-3 years as a police constable before receiving promotion to higher ranks, such as plain clothes detective. Police officers are also recruited from those with experience in the military or security services. Most law enforcement agencies now have measurable physical fitness requirements for officers. In the United States, state laws codify state-wide qualification standards regarding age, education, criminal record, and training.

Police agencies are usually semi-military in organization, so that with specified experience or training qualifications officers become eligible for promotion to a higher supervisory rank, such as sergeant. Promotion is not automatic and usually requires the candidate to pass some kind of examination, interview board or other selection procedure. Although promotion normally includes an increase in salary, it also brings with it an increase in responsibility and for most, an increase in administrative paperwork.

After completing a certain period of service, officers may also apply for specialist positions, such as detective, police dog handler, mounted police officer, motorcycle officer, water police officer, or firearms officer (in forces which are not routinely armed).

In addition to any formal qualifications required, potential police officers should have a genuine interest in working with the public and possess an inquiring mind.

Most all police officers work in a police station. A police station is a building which serves as the headquarters of a police force or unit which serves a specific district. These buildings typically contain offices, various accommodations for their personnel and their vehicles (such as locker rooms and a maintenance garage), temporary holding cells, and interview/interrogation rooms. Alternative terms include precinct or precinct house for regional facilities of the New York City Police Department and other urban police departments in the United States, and detachment for local facilities of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or division by the Toronto Police Service in Toronto, Ontario. District offices are used by the California Highway Patrol, and substations are used by county sheriff forces with more than one facility. A police precinct is a form of division of a geographical area patrolled by a police force.

You often here of a lot of people refer to the Network Marketing Industry as a pyramid scheme. “All the people at the top make all the money, while others don’t.” You may also hear, “to make money at that kind of business you have get into it at the beginning, so you can make the big bucks.”

Let’s define the word pyramid. I look at a pyramid as your local Fire and Rescue department, for example. There a lot of firefighters, we’ll call them entry level for the sake of explanation. One of the entry Firefighters gets promoted to paramedic, or engineer. Then after serving some time doing that, they can then make their way up to Lieutenant. After becoming second in command then there is the opportunity to   become the Captain of a particular station and make sure your team of fire fighters serve their area assigned properly. If you prove yourself  overtime by being a  moral , good , and ethical Captain and have the respect of the fellow citizens in the community and the team you have lead, then there is a possibly you can become the Fire Chief of the county.  NOW this is what I call a pyramid, when there is one person at the top, making a lot more money and levering their ideas and having them implemented among the people below. Do you think for one second that the entry level firefighters are making the same amount of money as the Fire Chief? Of course not. This would cause nothing but pure chaos among the structure. Yes, it is a true pyramid when the person above you has a higher position, salary, and other things which you DO NOT have the opportunity to get until you have reached that particular status.

Does this same the same for Network Marketing Industry? 

Donald Trump and Robert Kiyoski are the authors of the New York Times best seller, Why We Want You to Be Rich.  In their book they dedicated an entire chapter on Network Marketing and Direct Sales and make the statement that if they lost everything and had to rebuild their wealth, they both said they would get involved in a Network Marketing /Direct Sales Business. This should speak volumes. I suggest you get a copy of the book if you have not read it.

So is the Network Marketing and Direct Sales industry a pyramid scheme. NO!  Why? The potential income to be earned is equal. All who decide to become a part of the company have the same opportunity as anyone else who decides to join.  You know what I call that FAIR.

 The Network Marketing Industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States alone.  If you want to be given the same opportunity as everyone else and have the freedom to make as little or as much you want then I suggest you take a look at Network Marketing or Direct Sales.

There are a lot of companies that have a lack of leadership, tiny commissions to be earned on their products or services, and have no business marketing system.  Working hard at this industry and staying with for the long haul and making it your only business, then you need the leadership, the bigger payouts, and most importantly the marketing systems.  If you are lacking any of these chances are you are going to get frustrated and give up before you give yourself a chance to have it all.

Every summer, wildfires break out in various locations across the United States. The United States Forest Service and state agencies hire seasonal firefighters every year. If these types of jobs interest you, there are opportunities available on handcrews, helitack crews, and hotshot crews.

In a situation where a wildfire has broken out, the first line of defense may be the handcrew. The crew is made up of 20-25 firefighters who are responsible for making a fireline. The purpose of setting up a fireline is to remove anything in the path of the fire that will burn so that the fire will burn itself out due to lack of fuel.

Working on a handcrew means getting an early start. The workday starts at dawn, and the crew hikes to the location where they will be working after breaking camp. They use hand tools and chain saws to clear out a section of brush to create the fireline. The workday for the handcrew members is a long one; many times they work 12 hours at a stretch. Candidates for seasonal firefighting jobs must have at least 90 days of firefighting experience to be considered.

Another work option you may be interested in when it comes to being a wildfire firefighter is to get a job on a helitack crew. As the name implies, these firefighters arrive at the scene of the fire by helicopter. They are deployed when the situation calls for a quick response.

Getting a job as part of a helitack team is considered to be quite an achievement, since they are an elite group among firefighters. They usual spend several days working in one location. Instead, they get in quickly and leave to move onto the next area where they are needed just as fast.

This is a job for someone who is looking for a real adventure. Part of the training involves learning get to the ground from a hovering helicopter. This type of aircraft is used because it’s less expensive to run than a fixed-wing aircraft. To qualify for a position on a helitack team, all applicants must have at least one year of firefighting experience as a seasonal firefighter or a university degree in Agriculture, Forestry, or Range Management.

When a large wildfire breaks out, the job of extinguishing it may involve bringing in one or more hotshot crews. These are large work groups of between 20-25 members, they perform a variety of functions. Some team members use saws to cut away brush, while other team members are responsible for moving it out of the way.

The work hours depend on the situation, and hotshot crew members may be required to work shifts of up to 64 hours at a time. The average work day for a hotshot crew is about 16 hours long. Sometimes, the crew is dispatched to the bush for weeks at a time. When they are on the job, the firefighters who work on a hotshot crew can’t count on being able to eat hot meals or shower regularly.

When the hotshot crew is not actively working at a fire site, their days are spent training and working out. They need to be in top physical condition to perform their duties. At least one hour of every working day is spent on some type of physical activity. They exercise out of doors whenever possible. For them, a workout may involve hiking over long distances while carrying a large pack. This helps to keep them ready for the demands they face when a wildfire breaks out.

Before you say that 9/11 doesn’t matter, realize that it has been used to get us into 2 costly wars and to curb our civil liberties. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that we get to the bottom of the truth so that we can amend our policies and restore our freedoms if it turns out the official account given does not jive with the facts.

Over 50 political leaders around the world have joined with Firefighters for 9/11 truth, Architects for 9/11 truth, Medical Professionals for 9/11 truth and lawyers for 9/11 truth. The people who question the official account come from a wide variety of professional backgrounds, some of whom have experience in foreign intelligence and they are not conspiracy theory loving nut jobs.

From the website, Political Leaders for 9/11 Truth:

PETITION
WHEREAS the Bush-Cheney administration’s public interpretation of the 9/11 attacks has had radical, largely negative, consequences for the United States of America and the world as a whole; and

WHEREAS the official investigations of these attacks that have been carried out thus far were led by individuals closely aligned with, or even employed by, the Bush-Cheney administration; and

WHEREAS the conclusions of these investigations differ radically from those that have been reached by independent researchers with various kinds of professional expertise; and

WHEREAS organizations of such researchers—including Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth, Firefighters for 9/11 Truth, Lawyers for 9/11 Truth, Pilots for 9/11 Truth, Religious Leaders for 9/11 Truth, Scholars for 9/11 Truth and Justice, and Veterans for 9/11 Truth—have called for a new, truly independent, investigation; and

WHEREAS we believe it is long past time for political leaders to heed these calls;

THEREFORE we, the undersigned members of Political Leaders for 9/11 Truth, ask President Barack Obama to authorize a new, truly independent, investigation to determine what happened on 9/11.

The URL below includes the members of this formal petition:

http://pl911truth.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=53

I will not list them all but here is a sampling of people calling for a true independent study into 9/11:

Dr. Robert M. Bowman, former Director of Advanced Space Programs Development for the U.S. Air Force in the Ford and Carter administrations (Charter Member of PL911Truth)

Senator Mike Gravel, United States Senator

Barbara Honegger, former White House Policy Analyst and Special Assistant to the Assistant to President Ronald Reagan (1981 – 1983)

Michael Meacher, Minister of the British Parliament; former Minister of the Environment; former Undersecretary for Industry

Rep. Charles F. Weed, State of New Hampshire House of Representatives, Member for Keene, NH, 2000- . Member, Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services Committee. Professor of Political Science, Keene State College.

Are they all nuts to question the official story and to call for a true independent study?

The United States has been in a recession since December, 2007, as defined by the National Bureau of Economic Research, a private, nonprofit research organization. But the American people, and the Obama administration along with the democrat majority congress, seem to be at odds on how to fix the American economy.

A robust economy means companies expand which results in job creation. Currently, the American people are not spending because many are not working, and those who are working are spending less, most likely due to the possibility of losing their job. Current unemployment rate stands at 9.6% as of August, 2009. A decrease in spending by the American people results in a decrease in company profits, company non expansion, and more layoffs.

Reporting on a survey by Watson Wyatt, a consulting firm, the HRSpecialist.com reported in November of 2008 that one-fourth of U.S. employers plan to have staff reductions during the following calendar year. We are now seeing this come to fruition for 2009.

So how can the US economy improve? Improvement being defined as two consecutive quarters where we do not have negative growth in the GDP (gross domestic product). The following is what we call the Steps to Economic Improvement. These are steps for consideration which hopefully result in a healthy bipartisan discussion between our elected congressman and their constituency. These steps may result in non-recessionary growth of our economy.

You may or may not agree with these steps, but at a bare minimum, these are points to consider, and ideally result in a healthy discussion with our elected congressmen, which at last check, is one of the unchanged notions of a free democratic society.

Steps to Economic Improvement:

1) The first step is to realize that it is business and not government that creates jobs and wealth within the American society.  This is where we believe is the heart of the problem. It is evident that the Obama administration believes it is government that will lead Americans to economic prosperity. This is why the federal government has put forth a $780 billion stimulus package. So where is this money really going. Let’s take a look at the breakdown. (source Republican Senate office, CNN.com AC360)

$780 Billion Stimulus Package:

MORE THAN $43 BILLION IN TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS
$27 BILLION FOR HIGHWAY, ROAD AND BRIDGE INVESTMENTS
$8.4 BILLION FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT INVESTMENT
$2 BILLION FOR HIGH SPEED RAIL
$1.3 BILLION FOR FAA AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT
$850 MILLION FOR AMTRAK
$250 MILLION FOR GRANTS TO STATES FOR INVESTMENT IN HIGH SPEED AND INNER CITY PASSENGER RAIL
$100 MILLION TO MARITIME ADMINISTRATION FOR ASSISTANCE TO SMALL SHIPYARDS
$76.8 BILLION IN EDUCATION INVESTMENTS
$39 BILLION FOR STATE FISCAL RELIEF TARGETED DIRECTLY FOR EDUCATION
$13.9 BILLION FOR PELL GRANTS
$13.5 BILLION FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING
$10.4 BILLION FOR TITLE I
$6.4 BILLION FOR WATER AND SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE
$3 BILLION FOR JOB TRAINING
$3.25 BILLION FOR WORKFORCE INVESTMENT PROGRAMS
$160 MILLION FOR JOB CORPS
$87 BILLION IN TEMPORARY AND TARGETED MEDICAID RELIEF TO STATES
$5 BILLION FOR SUPPLEMENTAL GRANTS TO PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITIES FOR CAPITAL NEEDS
$4.7 BILLION FOR STATE AND LOCAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY BLOCK GRANTS
$4.4 BILLION FOR SMART GRID
$2.9 BILLION FOR WEATHERIZATION PROGRAMS
$2 BILLION FOR ADVANCED BATTERY MANUFACTURING
$7 BILLION FOR LOAN GUARANTEES FOR STANDARD RENEWABLES
$800 MILLION FOR CONSTRUCTION OF PORTS OF ENTRY
$500 MILLION FOR FIREFIGHTERS ASSISTANCE GRANTS
$1.2 BILLION FOR NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

As part of the 2010 budget proposal, the Obama administration has also proposed additional measures to attempt to stabilize the economy, including a $2–3 trillion measure aimed at stabilizing the financial system and freeing up credit. In a nutshell, auditors from the Congressional Budget Office have said that Obama’s budget would produce $9.3 trillion in deficits over the next decade.

This is a large chunk of change that needs to be provided by the American taxpayer! But the question is, will all of this spending help the long term growth of the US economy? Growth being during the period of not just the next few years, but rather 10 to 15 years. We believe it will not and here is why.

2) These programs burden the tax payer. History has shown that long sustained economic growth can not take place when the tax payer is over burdened by a federal deficit. Also, when the government spends money they do not have, they print more money, which results in a devaluation of the US dollar. This results in inflation.

3) Small businesses employ just over half of U.S. workers. How do you define a small business. The Office of Advocacy defines a small business for research purposes as an independent business having fewer than 500 employees. In examining the $780 billion stimulus package, you can see that there is no real help for small business. Remember, job creation is needed for economic recovery.

4) The socializing of America will not result in long term economic growth. The massive spending that the Obama administration has proposed will result in an even greater tax burden to the American people.

Most Americans believe in the frame work and meaning of The Constitution of the United States. The first words of the Constitution “We the People” make it clear that our government was established to serve the people. The essence of a democracy was eloquently stated by President Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address “that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” This simply means that our elected president and congress have a responsibility to listen to the American people.

And it can be said that most Americans do not want a socialistic society for the United States. Government needs to stop spending the American tax dollar, simply because an escalating government deficit will not result in an overall improvement in our economy.

5) Programs such as Cash for Clunkers, auto industry bailouts, and the like, only in the end increase the tax burden on the American people. These massively expensive programs do very little to improve the viability and strength of most small business. Based on 2008 figures, there are 155 million workers in the United States. The car industry accounts for about 13 million of these workers. Therefore, most Americans will not benefit from the bailout of the auto industry. There is only a marginal at best improvement in the economy from such programs.

6) We do applaud the Obama administration for the injection of capital into the financial institutions, because for small business to flourish, there needs to be capital available, and commercial banks and other depository institutions are the largest lenders of capital to small business.

7) The economy will do much better when companies are left to compete in the market place with minimal government involvement. A case in point, the Reagan administration had a policy of less government during the 1980s. This resulted in long term economic growth. This is the exact opposite of what the Obama administration is trying to do.

The Obama administration was given a bad economy when Barack Obama took office. But the Obama administration has taken a bad situation and made it much worse. Many economists believe that our economy would return anyway, with minimal government involvement. In terms of the economy, the government many times creates or prolongs problems and really does not solve them. A case in point, the deregulation of the banking industry which resulted in sub-prime lending. This created an eventual financial collapse, which resulted in the down turn in our economy and our current economic meltdown.

To conclude, the concept of minimal government is an important component for a strong American economy. Letting companies naturally compete within a free democratic society, with minimal government involvement, produces a robust economy, which benefits all Americans. The writers of the Constitution of the United Sates, our founding fathers, believed that the role of government in the lives of people should be minimal. Should we not adhere to the principles of our Constitution?

By letting your voice be heard, it is the American people who in the end control the destiny of the United States. And in the end, it is the American people who will control the destiny of the American economy. Go to your congressman’s website and contact them, discuss these points, express your opinion, and let them know how you feel. It is your right and duty as an American citizen.

There are number of professions required for Railways for example A railroad engineer, railway engineer, locomotive engineer, train operator, train driver or engine driver is a person who operates a railroad locomotive and train. The engineer is the person in charge of and responsible for the locomotive(s). He or she is also in charge of the mechanical operation of the train, the speed of the train and all train handling. The engineer shares with the conductor/guard, who is in charge of the train, responsibility for the safe operation of the train and application of the rules and procedures of the railway company.

On many railroads, the career progression is one that starts as an assistant conductor (brakeman), conductor and finally, engineer. In the United States the engineer is required to be certified and re-certified every 2-3 years.

Engineer is responsible for preparing equipment for service, checking paperwork and the condition of the locomotives. His/her duties require that he/she control acceleration, braking and handling of the train underway. He/she must know the physical characteristics of the railroad, including passenger stations, the incline and decline of the right-of-way and speed limits. Along with the conductor, the engineer monitors time to not fall behind schedule, nor leave stations early. The train’s speed must be reduced when following other trains, approaching route diversions, or regulating time over road to avoid arriving too early. The engineer assumes the duties of the conductor if he or she should be incapacitated.

There is another person called locomotive engineer who is required to have an intimate knowledge of track geometry including signal placement so as to be able to safely control their train.

Maintaining concentration is of critical importance in this role.

The qualifications and experience required for this position are as follows:

You do not always need set qualifications to get into this type of work, although most employers will expect you to have a good general standard of education, including maths and English GCSEs. Some mechanical or electrical knowledge may also be useful.

You can apply directly to train operating companies for details of any vacancies. Alternatively, you could start work in the rail service in another job, for example, as part of the station staff or maintenance crews, and then apply for trainee driver posts when they come up. Train companies often promote from within.

You normally have to be at least 21 to work as a train driver on the national rail network. If you are aged between 18 and 21, you may be able to train and work in yards and depots away from passenger lines. To work on the London Underground you must be at least 18.

Successful candidates in the first level are been invited to a training centre where you would sit tests on:

Basic mechanical knowledge, ability to recall information, reaction times, Concentration skills.

The successful candidates in all the above levels go further for an in person interview.

You will also have to pass a medical, which will test your fitness levels, eyesight, colour vision and hearing. Employers have strict rules on drug and alcohol abuse, and can carry out random tests at any time.

Outsourcing is one of the major job trends happening in the global economy. As an effective tool to reduce labor costs, outsourcing has delivered a lot of job opportunities to countries such as India and the Philippines. However, outsourcing can also be blamed for the economic instability the United States is suffering. Why? It’s because outsourcing has robbed Americans of their jobs.

Jobs related to customer service, technical support and IT management are the ones prone to outsourcing. Most unskilled American workers rely on these positions as their major source of income, and due to outsourcing, these people now find it very difficult to land a job.

If you’re worried that your current job is soon to be fed to outsourcing, then here are some tips in order to protect yourself. Especially now that the economy is expected to face bigger problems for the next couple of years, it’s always best to be prepared.

1. Get yourself a home-based job.

Lots of online jobs are available in the internet, ranging from writing to marketing and research. These are highly profitable part-time positions which can lead you towards a promising new career.

Find out more outsource-protected jobs that may suit your interests.

2. Learn a new skill.

Skilled jobs are in less danger from being outsourced, such as health care workers and firefighters. Online degrees are available to train you.

3. Get in touch with your community.

Your neighborhood might be in need of helping hands to foster community development. This part-time work can be quite sustaining since community issues deal with everyone’s needs, including yours. Community-related jobs also keep you busy while on the look out for regular work.

Losing your job to outsourcing may lead you to an entire lifestyle change, since your job makes up almost the whole of your daily routine. But look at the bright side: outsourcing also opens a new breed of opportunities in which you can find no less than career success.

I just looked at my kindergarten picture book. In it are pictures of my classmates, and written alongside each picture is a paragraph that lists our dream jobs. Most of the students listed the jobs that their parents were doing. I listed “I want to be a green house builder.” That’s why my Dad was doing at the time. Other jobs included: Firefighter, Astronaut, Policeman, Soldier, and even the ambitious, President of The United States.

Over time and with the usual demands of life – school, marriage, mortgage, kids, etc – most people usually end up with a job that pays the bills, instead of a job that they really desired and feel satisfied in.

I recently read a book titled, “The Passion Test.” The author, Janet Attwood, beautifully describes the fulfilling and joyful essence of following, and then doing your passions for life as your actual career. It’s an interesting idea, one that most people have never thought about or are too afraid to do.

In high school, I grew up on the beach and was surrounded by the influence of drugs and alcohol. I saw how easy money was made through drug sales and how it gave those involved a lot of nice material things. I saw how they didn’t have to work and could travel and surf everyday. I felt a little jealous about it all because I had to work for almost minimum wage and could only surf once day. I was raised knowing to stay away from drugs and alcohol and anything related to it. But for some reason, the idea of how easy money was being made and the freedom it gave, never left me.

The attention and consistent thought of making easy money remained with me through college. During that time, I was hired on to an internet marketing company and began to work with businesses who sold products online. I again saw how through the internet, people were making millions of dollars, and many of them were working out of there home.

Around that time, I came across “The Passion Test” and read it through in only a few days. During which, it dawned on me that I was, without me knowing, following my inner passions of easy money and the freedom it gave. I was learning how to do it on the internet, which would create the opportunity to experience the freedom to come and go as I please and most importantly surf everyday.

It’s amazing how we never realize what our inner thoughts and feelings are urging us to do. Most often, we are caught up in what we feel is the “right” thing to do, or to follow what others say we should be doing. But if we learn to listen to what our heart enjoys and to what brings us peace in this life, and if we have the patience and courage to follow it, we will then be in the career that as kids we would dream about.

There are many books and tutorials on finding your inner passions. “The Passion Test” is definitely recommended. There are many more steps besides simply knowing what your dreams are, there is work involved. But the work is enjoyable because it becomes a part of your passion and dreams.

So take the first action step today. Make a list of what you feel your passions for life are, and be sure to write them down. Then spend 20 to 30 minutes online and do a search for “following your passions” or “how to live your passions” and just read the material that comes up, it will make you feel good. From there, just see what happens. Don’t judge yourself or make expectations. Things will flow on their own. The important step is to do just that, take a step.