By Christina Couch

The 21st century has awakened our sense of preparedness and pushed us to expect the unexpected - 9/11, the Tsunami, and Hurricane Katrina, to name a few. The demand for professionals well trained in emergency disaster preparation is greater than ever. It's not surprising then that occupations virtually nonexistent just 10 years ago, are now at the forefront of the job market.

To catch you up on how careers have changed with the times, check out seven high-demand professions that will prepare you for the worst.

1. Emergency Medical Technician - When catastrophe strikes, life-saving EMTs are the first at the scene, dispensing pre-hospital medical care to victims of both nationwide disasters and everyday incidents. As first responders, EMTs work hand-in-hand with police, firefighters, and sometimes military personnel to help contain and remedy emergency situations before they escalate. According to Gregg Margolis, associate director of the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, the field encompasses more than 860,000 workers; the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that this profession will grow between 21 and 35 percent in the next decade.

Don't worry. This profession's growth doesn't depend solely on large-scale misfortune. "[There's] a common misconception that emergency medical services means constant exposure to very big incidents," Margolis states. "Those things don't happen that frequently, thank goodness, but when they do, EMS is there."

2. Recovery/Business Continuity Planner - Dealing strictly in the fiscal end of disaster relief, recovery planners help protect and prepare businesses for natural and man-made disasters. Whether it's analyzing a company's at-risk areas, creating a corporate back-up plan, or organizing a way to salvage the remnants after a tragedy, recovery planners find positions working in both the technical and executive ends of private and public organizations.

According to Dr. Walter G. Green, III, associate professor of emergency management at the University of Richmond, their new crop of students won't have any problems finding a job. "We deal with a lot of people who are looking into changing career or those who want to develop expertise in the field," he states.

3. Intelligence Analyst - The FBI's massive hiring campaign for intelligence analysts comes as no surprise to Colonel Mike McDaniel. As homeland security advisor for the state of Michigan, Colonel McDaniel directly deals with the growing need for those well versed in the actions and motivations of our enemies.

Intelligence analysts operate as the heart of the Department of Homeland Security, working day and night to predict and prevent an attack. The field has exploded since September 2001 with qualified analysts finding more job offers than they can accept on state and national level. Between now and 2009, the National Security Administration alone will hire more than 7,300 analysts.

"In the fiscal year '06, the DHS [Department of Homeland Security] is requiring all states to have a state-wide information sharing system," McDaniel reports. "There's going to be a huge need for intelligence analysts." Restructuring state communications systems means an upcoming job boom in every corner of the country.

4. Cybersecurity Technicians - "We created this degree to fit the growing needs of the industry," says Jean-Phillipe Labruyere, an instructor for DePaul University's online Computer, Information, and Network Security master's program. "This field is already big and it's growing all the time."

From mom and pop shops to giant corporations and nonprofit organizations, network security personnel are needed across the board. According to a recent study conducted of chief information officers from a stratified sample of 100 U.S. companies, 35 percent claimed that beefing up network security was their number one IT priority for the upcoming year. On the federal level, the recently passed Cybersecurity Department Enhancement Act is set to expand the field of network security tremendously.

5. Translators and Interpreters - Want to work from home? Make your own hours? Balance your job around family and personal obligations? The field of language translation may be just the thing.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that one out of every five professional translators is self-employed, meaning you'll have the freedom to work when you want. However, language translators aren't relegated to potentially spotty freelance work. Cali Mortenson Ellis, Departmental Analyst for the State of Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and a graduate of the Michigan State University online Homeland Security certificate program, states that knowledge of language, particularly the languages of Asia and the Middle East, is an invaluable asset for those seeking positions in the field of national security.

"There is a distinct lack of understanding about the Islamic world," Ellis states. "I think a very solid grounding in linguistics and history of the Arab world would prepare [applicants] very well."

6. Social Worker - From unemployment to disability issues, social workers tackle the largest, most serious problems society can throw at them. In the aftermath of both natural and man-made disasters, these professionals use government as well as nonprofit agencies to rebuild devastated communities. With the influx of disenfranchised people brought on by September 11th and Hurricane Katrina, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the profession will grow approximately 30 percent over the next seven years with job openings favoring those trained to deal with substance abuse problems and issues surrounding the elderly.

7. Public Safety Personnel - Don Dougherty, a volunteer firefighter for the City of Troy, Mich., used credentials earned from his online homeland security certificate from the University of Michigan to begin a public safety project that can potentially save lives. Working with county, and state governments, Dougherty is heading up an initiative that will protect area commercial developments in case of an attack.

His project is just a minute part of the field of public safety preparedness, which is experiencing exponential growth as Americans become more aware of the country's vulnerability. Encompassing jobs ranging from traffic officials to vaccine producers, public safety has evolved into a hot-button field of the 21st century.

Dr. Robert A. Cherry, M.D., program chair for the new Homeland Security and Public Health Preparedness online degree at Pennsylvania State University, states that current events reflect the increased need for public safety professionals. "9/11 in and of itself was a focal point, was a changing point. we realized that there are disasters that can occur on our own soil that we're not prepared for," he states. "When you see that - when you see the response to Hurricane Katrina - you know that there's a need for leadership in this area."