Law enforcement officials consider Hudson County a top priority in terms of terrorism awareness and protection, both because of the county’s proximity to Manhattan through local transportation systems, and because of its large urban population of over 600,000 residents.
Thus, students at Hudson County Community College’s newly offered “Gateway Certificate Program in Homeland Security” won’t have to go far on field trips to view some of the areas they’ll be learning to protect.
Starting this September, HCCC will offer the five-course program that they say will enable students to seek an immediate position in a security field, or students can use it as a platform to pursue additional credits at partner colleges.
“Obviously, it’s never too late to invest in homeland security education.” – Robert Fairchild
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There is a demand for personnel in the Homeland Security job sector, according to a 2007 report by the Partnership for Public Service. The group found that over a three-year period, including this year, the federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is expected to hire more than 15,000 customs officers, border protection officers, and border patrol agents, as well as 22,000 transportation safety officers (airport screeners) across the nation.
Whether the HCCC certificate will make a candidate more palatable to employers is unknown, but they’re going to try. Robert Fairchild, a director at HCCC’s Division of Community Education, said the program will offer the following courses:
• “Terrorism” – Students will study terrorism in its historical perspective and how it is being used, with case studies to evaluate.
• “Criminal Justice and the Law” – It will discuss law enforcement, the judicial system, and the corrections system, and promote an understanding of all three sectors.
• “Ethics and Values” – Students will learn about various ethical theories and values through case studies, and determine how to arrive at ethical decisions.
• “Sociology of Disasters” – Students will look at the social changes that follow disasters, and their immediate and long-term effects.
• “GIS (Geographic Information Systems) for Homeland Security” – Provides competence with the mapping tool being utilized in nearly every industry today.
The program, which starts on Sept. 13, costs $2,345 with a $75 lab fee. Registration continues until late August. The course will be taught at the college’s Jersey City campus in Journal Square. HCCC faculty members are teaching the courses.
Mapping a new course
Fairchild said the new program has been in the college’s plans for several years, but they found it was a good time now to get started.
“Obviously, it’s never too late to invest in homeland security education,” Fairchild said. “Homeland security is pretty much on everyone’s mind, no matter where, and by being able to bring this program we certainly hope to do our part to make people aware of the world we live in.”
So far, the interest in the program has been small, based on an information session held in Jersey City on May 26. About 20 attendees came, and one registered.
“Some said they had been interested in homeland security and some wanted to jump into a new career,” Fairchild said.
Fairchild expects the interest to grow. The college is scheduled to hold another information session in early July.
For more information on the program, call (201) 360-4246 or email: continuingstudies@hccc.edu.
Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com.