The establishment of the Department of Homeland Security has been a great stride toward improving the overall safety and security of the United States. In addition, it has also created several new employment opportunities, especially in areas where national security concerns may have previously been overlooked.

Newly created positions exist within the Department of Homeland Security itself while others have been created from the various agencies which the Department oversees. These government agencies include U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Secret Service. Internal employment opportunities exist within the Department of Homeland Security in the Office of the Secretary, Office of Management, Office of Inspector General and the Office of Border and Transportation Security.

These employment opportunities represent our nation's newfound commitment to the protection from harm that is required by all U.S. citizens. They also present an opportunity for qualified personnel to find a position that will afford them the satisfaction of knowing they are contributing to the continued success of our nation's way of life. From positions in information technology and human resources to attorneys and border patrol agents, the number and variety of available employment opportunities is staggering. Homeland security has become an industry unto itself and will likely continue to create new job openings well into the foreseeable future.

Colleges and Universities are starting to develop programs that cater to the needs of the homeland security industry. While many have incorporated homeland security curriculum into already established degree programs such as criminal justice, others have developed degree programs that are specific to the field. These degree programs and the positions they are meant to qualify people to obtain are both excellent options for college students to consider. While the tragedy of 9/11 is beyond unfortunate, the resulting circumstances have created new opportunities for those who wish to prevent an event like this from ever happening again.