First Responders: Public Safety & Emergency Response
Career Pathway
Start prepping NOW for your dream job or work-anywhere trade skills!
Build a Strong Foundation in Public Safety and Emergency Response …and More
Do you have a desire to help others? Have you dreamed of helping people live healthier, safer lives? Be the hero in someone’s life by considering a career as a First Responder. The new First Responders: Public Safety & Emergency Response pathway will allow students to develop the skills needed for a career as a firefighter, EMT, or police officer, and many others. Jobs in these rewarding fields are in high demand in Ventura County and beyond! This pathway is a great opportunity to explore these careers while preparing you for college or training programs.
What You'll Learn
From 9th grade upward, enroll in A-G approved courses to start preparing for your career in the public safety & emergency response industry. Classes will include:
- CTE Concentrator First Responders
- CTE Capstone First Responders
What You’ll Do
Take what you’re learning in the classroom into the real world and experience for yourself all that awaits you in the public safety & emergency response industry. Immersive and insightful experiences include:
- First Aid and CPR certification
- Field trips and job shadows to local police, fire, and EMT facilities and college programs
- Hands-on emergency response skills development
Who You Can Be
Kickstart your career path with top-tier academic instruction and industry-leader insights. The First Responders Pathway prepares you for potential careers such as:
- Firefighter
- EMT / Paramedic
- Police Officer
- Social Worker
Industry Average Wages: $60,000-$75,000+/Year
Projected Industry Growth: 10%-16%
CE Teacher:
TBA
What You Need to Know
VUSD’s First Responders Pathway will provide students with the essential knowledge needed to prepare for a career in law enforcement, fire service, and/or emergency medical services. Courses will include subjects such as analyzing and interpreting criminal codes, crime scene investigation, as well as Incident Command Systems, fire service / suppression, and First Aid/CPR certification. This course will provide the opportunity for college credit and will include regular collaboration with the Ventura County Sheriff's Department, Ventura Police Department, Ventura County Fire Department, local ambulance services agencies, Ventura County Probation Agency, and the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office. The First Responders pathway is located at Buena High School but is open to all high school students in VUSD.
Get a jump start on your college future by earning college credits and valuable real-world skills you can use for college and career.
2 Year
AS Fire Technology - Oxnard College
4 Year
BS Criminology & Justice Studies - CSU Northridge