Books in Careers in Your Community series

Whether they’re treating injured athletes, wounded veterans, hip-replacement patients, or countless others, physical therapists play an important role in our health care system. Readers will discover what skills and personality traits physical therapists need, what sort of training the profession requires, and what a physical therapist’s daily routine can look like. Providing lots of highly practical and specific information regarding educational requirements, coursework, networking and job search strategies, and pathways for professional development, advancement, and lifelong learning, this is a great resource for teens and young adults exploring their career options.

The term "legal advocate" encompasses a growing field of advocacy that includes many social service areas, such as immigration law, environmental law, prisoner's rights, and sexual harassment law. This comprehensive guide to legal advocacy explores the opportunities available for those interested in the field, how legal advocates work, and what skills they need to succeed. Whether one is interested in becoming a victim advocate who helps a crime victim navigate the court system, or an advocate in immigration court, helping to build a case for legal asylum, legal advocacy is a rewarding career, and an invaluable service to people in need.

The field of health services offers a wide variety of jobs for those who want to help others while working in a challenging, rewarding career that affords great opportunities for professional growth. Whether one is interested in a career as physician, dentist, and nurse or technician, pharmacist, dietitian, and mental health worker, this comprehensive guide offers readers essential information about different careers in health services, including academic requirements, areas of specialization, job outlook, and typical job duties. In addition, job search topics such as free resources, social media platforms, and the interview process are covered in detail.

Even as the world becomes increasingly wireless, nearly everyone remains dependent on the hardwired work of electricians. The need for homes, offices, public spaces, and other facilities to stay heated and able to power people's machines and devices at any time of day or night means that electricians are always in demand. This useful guide provides an overview of the various jobs electrical workers do and the education and skill requirements they must meet. Readers will learn how women have broken into this once male-dominated field and how this necessary work can become a stable and fruitful career.

School security can be a pretty tough job, it is not just about patrolling halls and checking in students for the day. Students and faculty today face a lot of potential dangers, including cyberbullying, drug use, and violence. A school resource or security officer is tasked with keeping people safe, taking action when necessary, but also simply mentoring students and helping shape school policy. This comprehensive volume takes career seekers through the ups and downs of training to take on the important job of keeping schools safe. It offers some tips on interviews and resumes and includes real-life experience from those in the field.

Everyone needs to eat, and someone has to provide that food, prepare it, serve it to customers, and then do it all again the next day. Whether readers are interested in working for fine restaurants, fast-paced diners, or even special events that need a catering professional, the food industry is vast and always in need of new talent. This comprehensive guide details the options available to young cooks and service staff who want a fulfilling career. Readers will be able to explore a variety of food industry paths and learn about what they can expect in professional kitchens everywhere.

Throughout history, there have been a myriad of social justice movements and causes, and courageous individuals who have fought for change. For those who feel passionate about ensuring all people have equal rights, opportunities, and services available, a career working for social justice may be a perfect fit. This book offers in-depth information about a variety of social justice career options, such as advocacy work, environmental protection, and social work. Academic requirements, day-to-day responsibilities, and job outlooks are covered, as well as essential information and tips about the job search process.

For many teens, plumbing hardly seems like a glamorous career path. However, plumbers are invaluable members of any community. This handy resource explains the need for plumbers and the great variety of jobs the field offers. Readers will learn the best educational path to take and how to obtain an apprenticeship. Many will be interested to learn of the innovations in the industry and the future outlook, which, thanks to predicted changes in the environment and aging infrastructure, is very bright.

Working outdoors, getting exercise, playing games, and serving your community, all while earning a salary, what could be better? This comprehensive guide to the field of parks and recreation prepares readers for three individual career paths: recreation worker, park maintenance worker, and park ranger. It offers several "day-in-the-life" stories from these careers, stressing the great variation of jobs available in this career and the range of education, from high school diploma to graduate degrees, required for different jobs. Readers can also learn about education, job-hunting, and advancement, and a few part-time jobs that can help them break into the field.