1 POLICE OFFICER
Federal Police are responsible for areas such as counter terrorism and national security.
To be eligible for a role, applicants must pass an employment suitability questionnaire, hold a valid driver’s licence, pass a Revelian Cognitive Ability Test, meet medical and psychological standards, complete the AFP Fitness Assessment, hold a senior first aid certificate and be able to swim 100m freestyle non-stop and unaided.
They must have a Year 12 education or Year 10 education with a trade certificate or certificate IV but preference is given to those qualified in fields such as criminology, law, national security, forensic science or information technology.
State police, on the other hand, are responsible for community safety and protection.
They prevent crime, assist in emergencies, enforce road and traffic rules, investigate crimes, and deal with missing persons reports.
In South Australia, applicants must have a driver’s license, be medically and physically fit, have a minimum of 6/9 vision in each eye either with or without visual aids, hold a Basic First Aid Certificate, have a typing speed of at least 26 words a minute, and meet minimum requirements for reading, numeracy and literacy.
2 FIREFIGHTER The Employment Department projects Australia’s fire and emergency workforce will grow from 18,100 in 2015 to 19,700 in 2020.
Most workers in this group hold a certificate III or IV (37.7 per cent) as their highest level of education.
A further 28.8 per cent hold a bachelor or postgraduate degree.
Although a formal qualification is not typically required to work in this field, a Certificate II in Public Safety (Firefighting and Emergency Operations) is available to give applicants an edge. THE BEST JOB OF YOUR LIFE: ALWAYS INTERESTING
CONSTABLE Madelyn Cross studied law and criminology before pursuing a career in policing.
Her father had been in the force so she knew what she was signing up for.
“I grew up seeing the lifestyle and what the job was about and the requirements,” she says.
“I was always interested so thought I would give it a shot.”
Training involved specialised driving lessons and responding to violence as well as theory.
Cross says the most challenging part was being in an unfamiliar environment and having to cuff and wrestle with people.
“Often the jobs you get and the different situations you are exposed to constantly challenge you,” she says.
“The best part of the job is that you learn more about yourself and what you value as a person.
“You constantly surprise yourself because you are in situations you have never been in before.”
Cross encourages more females to consider the industry and urges them not to over-think it.
“Don’t let the male-dominated industry be a put-off,” she says.
“It’s normal to be nervous but it will probably be the best ride of your life.”
3 PARAMEDIC There were 16,800 ambulance officers and paramedics working in Australia in 2015 and this is expected to increase to 18,600 by 2020. About four in five workers in this group have completed university studies – well above the workforce average of 28.6 per cent.