You may become a safety coordinator by majoring in occupational safety, public safety, public health or some other closely related field at the college level. Most safety coordinator requirements for employment apply to workers who hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Adequate work experience will also likely be a requirement for you to become a safety coordinator. Other skills that you may want to be sure you possess and which will likely benefit you in your quest to become a safety coordinator include good reading, writing and communication skills, as well as being able to exhibit strong leadership capabilities.
Formal safety coordinator training is the first major step to becoming a safety coordinator. Priority in safety coordinator careers is generally given to individuals who have completed a four-year college degree in public safety or a related subject. Employers will occasionally allow work experience to substitute for a degree, but such is not a common path for people who eventually become a safety coordinator. In order to compete with others vying for coordinator positions, most experts recommend obtaining a college degree first.
Experience in the field is another important step to becoming a safety coordinator. While you are in school and even while looking for a coordinator’s position after graduation, working as an assistant to a safety coordinator or working as support staff to one or more coordinators may help you acquire more specific career knowledge as well as the experience commonly necessary to become a safety coordinator. Without prior experience, obtaining such a job may seem difficult at first, but a diligent job search for this type of employment may help you eventually become a safety coordinator.
In order to become a safety coordinator you will also need to have certain natural skills and abilities, such as being an effective communicator. Many safety coordinator duties include communicating both orally and in writing with fire and police departments, as well as a variety of other government and community organizations. Teaching public safety rules and techniques to others may also be a part of a specific coordinator’s job description. A proven ability to supervise various other staff members is also important, so strong leadership and decision-making skills are also valued in potential safety coordinators. In addition to being able to communicate well with others, you will also need to have very good reading, writing and comprehension skills in order to become a safety coordinator.