Working Worlds (1974)

[Music] We the people of the United States in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity. ity do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. [Applause] [Music] Almost 13 million people are employed by government agencies in some form of public service. About 10 million of these work for one of the thousands of state and local government units throughout the country. [Music] The remainder are in federal service. Almost every type of private employment can be found in public service as well as a number of others that are unique to government. Let's take a look at some of the major employment opportunities in public service. One of them may be the kind of job you're looking for. [Music] A government's first responsibility is law makingaking. In the United States, lawmakers are almost always elected to their jobs. And while in theory any citizen can run for office, in reality, the people who attain elective positions are usually experienced and known in the political, legal, or the business world. He is 97. He's 68 Chev four-door. Light green in color. A government's next responsibility is to enforce the laws. This says uh battle theft 104 1530 29 1019 29 104 1530. Here at all levels of government are a range of career opportunities open to high school, technical school, and college graduates. In addition to city police departments and county sheriffs, crime detection and prevention involve agencies with names like Texas Rangers, the FBI, the Secret Service, and the Coast Guard. all have the same goal and all need qualified high school and college graduates ready to be trained on the job. Police work in conjunction with the courts to provide an effective law enforcement system. Our judicial system requires the services of highly trained attorneys and judges, but they also need people with business and clerical skills to handle the vast amount of paperwork with which they must deal. If a person is found guilty of violating a law, his sentence will become the responsibility of correctional officers either at a prison or a jail or a probation officer if he's placed on probation. The orderly flow and operation of a society is the government's main concern. This leads it to an involvement in far more than just crime prevention. Transportation is a social necessity that involves much of the government's time and resources. Here there are public service careers for people who plan, survey, maintain, and operate transportation facilities. Most of these people have technical skills often learned on the job. [Music] Rapid transit, buses, and highway, including bridge, tunnel, and street maintenance, are almost always the responsibility of one or more governmental [Music] agencies. The orderly flow and operation of a society is often tied to the orderly flow and operation of a nation's commerce. Many government agencies exist to regulate business operations and each employs experts in the business being [Music] regulated. These people inspect food, manufacturing, drugs and new products, issue licenses or monitor commercial broadcasting depending upon the agency they work for. and they work for agencies with names like Federal Aviation Agency, Interstate Commerce Commission, Federal Trade Commission, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Reserve Bank, and the Securities and Exchange [Music] Commission. The flow of commerce depends on more than regulation. It depends on the mail. The largest federal employer is the postal service, which is continually expanding to meet increased demands for efficient and speedy postal [Music] service. Post office careers are available in nearly every community throughout the country, and almost all involve on the job training. [Music] I'd like to report a fire down the street at 9inth in Figaroa. [Music] The health of a society depends upon the health of its people. Maintaining the health and well-being of a nation's citizens is still another function of the government. More than 250,000 people are employed as firefighters and almost all by local governments. A career in fire prevention does not require advanced education and training is offered on the job. Firemen have good job security, but unusual schedules and dangerous [Music] work. Keeping cities clean is another aspect of social health and is one of the many growing areas in environmentally oriented careers. Parks and recreational centers offer careers in planning, development, and operation. Opportunities in this job specialty will probably increase as leisure time grows for more people. Concern for the quality of living and the environment will also spur the development of more parks and recreation areas with corresponding job possibilities. Good job opportunities are also available in many other social services provided by state and local governments. These include social services such as welfare assistance programs, aid to dependent children and the elderly, employment counseling and retraining programs, alcoholism and drug abuse treatment centers, disability rehabilitation programs, and mental health clinics. [Music] Every government agency at every governmental level employs people with clerical and business skills to support the operation of that agency. Governments keep vast records, handle large budgets, take the census, calculate statistics, and of course, collect the taxes and the fees which finance all government operations. And so they need bookkeepers, secretaries, computer programmers, auditors, and statisticians, stenographers, file clerks, key punch operators, and mail sorters. And by and large, most of these careers are filled by people with business or technical school backgrounds. [Music] One government activity conducted solely by the federal government, is that of our nation's dealings with foreign countries. Career opportunities in international affairs, often with assignments overseas, are possible in the State Department's Foreign Services, which represents the government in foreign countries. the United States Information Agency, which distributes information about America abroad, and the Agency for International Development, which provides technical assistance and financial aid to developing nations. The Armed Services, now organized on an all volunteer basis, offer almost every possible occupational specialty. Military careers offer good job security, world travel, excellent training and educational opportunities, and many fringe benefits for the careerist and his family. Disadvantages include frequent transfers, the restrictions of military discipline, and personal danger in wartime. 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Honey, keep going, baby. The world of modern technology is expanding governmental horizons. As our nation moves into universal affairs, there will be an expanding need for technically trained people working in many areas, some of which don't even exist today. Perhaps then this is where you will choose to work in the world of our public servants, the lawmakers, arbitrators, processors, protectors, and regulators. You don't need a college degree to enter many government service careers. You will, however, have to pass some form of written civil service examination. Government services, especially at the state and local level, are expanding and employment opportunities are good. Most offer security, advancement based on the merit system, and competitive pay scales. Fringe benefits and retirement options are also [Music] good. If you're interested in a public service job, start now to find out more about the employment prospects and educational requirements for the position that you want. Ask your instructor or counselor how you can learn more about a public service career. Visit the personnel office of your state, city, or county government. Ask about how to prepare for taking the civil service tests. Whether you're looking for a chance to see the world or a chance to help others, there's no limit to the possibilities available to you in public service. [Music]