Government, Public Administration

Pathway 1: Foreign Service

People who work in the Foreign Service pathway serve in embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic missions and in Washington, D.C. Job responsibilities range from day-to- day operations of a U.S. embassy to analyzing political and economic events or helping American citizens abroad.

Pathway 2: Governance

People who work in the Governance pathway include the officials elected or appointed to government positions responsible for making and executing public policy. This pathway includes the President and members of Congress, governors and state legislators, and local elected officials such as councilpersons or commissioners. Also included are the staff members that support them. Careers in this pathway often require working with constituents or interest groups with conflicting goals. Leadership, consensus building, and conflict resolution are important skills for success.

Sample Occupations

• Aviation Inspectors

• Compliance Officers

• Coroners

• Environmental Compliance Inspectors

• Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers

• Financial Examiners

• Government Property Inspectors and Investigators

• Legislators

• Regulatory Affairs Specialists

• Transportation Inspectors

• Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except Aviation

Pathway 3: National Security

Maintaining a strong national security encompasses such diverse activities as running a hospital, commanding a tank, programming computers, operating a nuclear reactor, or repairing and maintaining a helicopter. The Military provides training and work experience in these fields and many others for more than 2.5 million people who serve in the active Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard, their Reserve components, and the Air and Army National Guard.

Sample Occupations

• Air Crew Members

• Air Crew Officers

• Aircraft Launch and Recovery Officers

• Aircraft Launch and Recovery Specialists

• Armored Assault Vehicle Crew Members

• Armored Assault Vehicle Officers

• Artillery and Missile Crew Members

• Artillery and Missile Officers

• Command and Control Center Officers

• Command and Control Center Specialists

• First-Line Supervisors of Air Crew Members

• First-Line Supervisors of Weapons Specialists/Crew Members

• Infantry

• Infantry Officers

• Special Forces

• Special Forces Officers

• Transportation Security Screeners

Pathway 4: Planning

People who work in the Planning pathway develop long- and short-term land use plans to provide for growth and revitalization of urban, suburban and rural communities, while helping local officials make decisions concerning social, economic and environmental issues. Planners promote the best use of a community?s land and resources for residential, commercial, institutional and recreational purposes.

Sample Occupations

• Bioinformatics Technicians

• Statistical Assistants

• Urban and Regional Planners

Pathway 5: Public Management and Administration

Government agencies and public corporations and trusts have specific and rigorous standards for the stewardship of public resources. Public management careers will require technical skills related to budgeting, personnel management, procurement, or other activities, and specific knowledge of the regulations and other policies that govern public management.

Sample Occupations

• Court, Municipal, and License Clerks

• Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs

• Emergency Management Directors

• Postmasters and Mail Superintendents

Pathway 6: Regulation

People who work in the Regulation pathway will typically possess a body of technical knowledge about an industry, the environment, or technology. This-coupled with a knowledge of related laws, rules and regulatory systems-permit regulators to protect our health, safety and environment, as well as ensure the integrity of our financial, transportation, and public utility industries. The work may include physical inspections, audits, investigations, and the reports, citations, hearings, and courtroom trials required to enforce a myriad of regulatory requirements.

Sample Occupations

• Agricultural Inspectors

• Construction and Building Inspectors

• Occupational Health and Safety Specialists

• Occupational Health and Safety Technicians

Pathway 7: Revenue and Taxation

People who work in the Revenue and Taxation pathway ensure that governments obtain revenues from businesses and citizens by collecting tax dollars, reviewing tax returns, conducting audits, monitoring taxes payable, and collecting overdue tax dollars.

Sample Occupations

• Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate

• Appraisers of Personal and Business Property

• Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents