Career Day Will Grow Our Own Public Safety Professionals
Nov 3, 2006
Edison College Public Safety Career Day will help produce the next generation of professionals in southwest Florida
FORT MYERS [FL] November 3, 2006—Incoming choppers, exploding bombs, and boats armed with machine guns are just a few of the public safety tools that Edison College students will see next week. The college is hosting a Public Safety Career Fair on Wednesday, November 8 on the Fort Myers campus.
Representatives from more than a dozen local agencies will be on hand to talk with students about career options in public safety fields. For many years, Edison has offered two-year degrees in criminal justice, crime scene technology, and paralegal services, plus certifications for paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and firefighters.
Last August, Edison offered the first classes in its first four-year degree, a bachelor’s of applied science in public safety management. The new baccalaureate degree puts Edison students at the forefront of a national trend to require bachelor’s degrees for public safety professionals instead of certifications or associate’s degrees. The new degree allows local public safety professionals to advance their careers without leaving the area.
In addition to career opportunities, students can also learn how to enroll in Edison’s public safety programs. The career fair runs from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. with live demonstrations scheduled to begin at approximately 1:15 p.m. Participants in the event include:
* Federal Transportation Security Administration at Southwest Florida International Airport
* Helicopter display, Lee County Sheriff’s Office
* Robotic tactics and bomb detonation, Collier County Sheriff’s Office
* Mobile command unit, Lee County Public Safety Department
* Canine officer demonstration, Fort Myers Police Department
* Babe the Bloodhound, Collier County Sheriff’s Office
* Interceptor boat, Lee County Sheriff’s Office
* DUI goggles, Florida Highway Patrol
* Advanced life support display, Lee County Emergency Medical Services
* Patrol boat display, United States Coast Guard
* Fire truck display, San Carlos Fire District
* Hendry Correctional Institution
* Edison College
The event is being held in conjunction with the monthly luncheon of the Chamber of Southwest Florida, which will feature a panel discussion on public safety, crime prevention, and disaster preparedness. The panel includes three local sheriffs, the Lee County public safety director, Dr. John Dunaway, and others. Dunaway is lead faculty member for Edison’s bachelor degree in Public Safety Management.
For more information, please call Beverly Fox, district communications coordinator at Edison College, at 239-985-3489 or email bfox@edison.edu. To register for the chamber luncheon, call 239-278-4001 or visit www.chamber-swflorida.com.
Last Updated: November 3, 2006
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