Jefferson student investigates careers in the FBI

The evidence is clear – FBI jobs are very cool!  On February 4, 2010, Jefferson student Brandi Roethler, along with 13 other students from 11 area high schools, met with FBI Field Agent Mark Gomez to investigate a potential career.  This event was coordinated by the Workplace Learning Connection.

One main point became clear - leadership skills are critical to a successful career at the FBI.  Agent Gomez urged the students to seek out opportunities to learn and hone these skills.  Roethler also found out that teamwork is a matter of life and death in a career in law enforcement.    Ensuring that you and your partner have each other's back is a key component to a long career at the FBI.  Learning how to get along now, in high school, joining extra-curricular activities and maintaining integrity when faced with typical teen-aged dilemmas are good preparation for a future career as an FBI agent.  Brandi commented:  “I learned a lot about the FBI and it helped that the agent went over what courses you should take in high school.  He did a great job.  The big thing I got out of it was that leadership and team work is everything.”

Once hired by the FBI, there are several tracts for specialization, such as Intelligence, Computer Crimes, and Counter-Terrorism to name a few. You also have to be physically fit to out-run a suspect so Agent Gomez emphasized working-out as a worthy pastime.  He spends part of each day running up and down the stairway when he's at the office. Roethler also learned that FBI agents can expect to earn over $100,000 a year after about five years on the job.

Brandi took advantage of this job shadow opportunity through

Jefferson's staff, which works in partnership with the Workplace Learning Connection.  To learn more about job shadows in any career field, contact

Ms. Hilby or log on to

www.workplace-learning.org.