Fertilización

The Need for Baccalaureate-Degreed

Individuals

The employment requirements of fire departments across Texas vary, but the Texas Commission on Fire Protection requires that all paid firefighters earn a “basic structure fire protection” certificate with six key steps, including completing a basic firefighter training program and passing a criminal background check (Texas Commission on Fire Protection, n.d.). Many firefighters pursue associate degrees, but it is unlikely that entry-level standards will ever reach the baccalaureate level. Data from the Department of Labor indicate that, even at the supervisory and administrative levels, the entry-level education requirements are at the certificate or associate level. ACS data (U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.) show that, among first-line supervisors of firefighting and fire prevention workers in Texas, only 36.9 percent had a baccalaureate as of 2013. Nevertheless, all of our employer interviewees stated that degree requirements have begun to increase, and many fire departments now require candidates for supervisory and administrative positions to have bachelor’s degrees. This is particularly true in some of the larger urban fire departments. Several of the fire chiefs and fire sciences faculty members we interviewed reported having to seek out degree programs in other states to obtain their own bachelor’s and graduate degrees in fire sciences.

The U.S. Fire Administration has created a standard model for fire sciences that could be applied nationally. Associate-level fire sciences degree programs primarily focus on a skills- based curriculum that allows students to successfully pass certification tests while also providing a more in-depth look at structural issues and the major principles of fire sciences (U.S. Fire Administration, 2014). At the bachelor’s level, the courses provide opportunities to explore leadership and research in more depth and prepare for additional certification exams. Both employers and community colleges contend that baccalaureate programs can provide midcareer firefighters with the leadership and business management skills to manage successful teams and conduct administrative duties.

The Level of Demand for Baccalaureate-

Degreed Individuals

The number of jobs in the supervision of firefighters and administration of fire departments is expected to see steady growth, with a projected increase in positions of 20 percent between 2010 and 2020. In Texas there are approximately

4,950 first-line supervisors of firefighting and fire-prevention workers, 37 percent of whom, as noted, have at least a baccalaureate degree. Statewide, 300 management positions are projected to be available annually through 2020. If we assume that new hires will have educational qualifications similar to the current workforce, the total number of positions requiring baccalaureate-degreed workers might be around 110. If the perceptions of the employers we interviewed are accurate and the educational requirements are increasing, the number of baccalaureate-degreed supervisors needed might be substantially higher. Still, these relatively small numbers of potential students will not support more than a few programs across the state. As we discuss later, consideration of

economies of scale may be especially important for this field. Figure 4.4 shows projected annual openings in firefighting supervisory positions between 2010 and 2020. Firefighting needs are closely tied to population numbers, so most openings will likely be in large population centers. Only the Gulf Coast and DFW have more than 20 openings for baccalaureate-degreed candidates each year.

This suggests that face-to-face programs may not be sustainable in any region of the state. In fact, both employers and institutional stakeholders told us that online programs were highly desirable for individuals in these occupations, given their rotating schedules and long hours. Thus, the location of programs may not be an issue in meeting these workforce needs.

The Supply of Baccalaureate-Degreed

Individuals

As of early 2014, there were 43 fire sciences programs in the state at the certificate and associate degree levels but none at the baccalaureate level. Although workforce demand is relatively small, with approximately 100 baccalaureate- degreed positions open each year, employers expressed a strong need for such programs. In many cases, individuals who desire a baccalaureate degree must go out of state. Our interviewees told us that Texas firefighters attend out-of-state programs, such as those at Grand Canyon University and Oklahoma State University, to pursue baccalaureate degrees.

Panhandle Alamo Permian Basin West Central Gulf Coast Upper

Rio Grande Concho Valley

South Plains

North Central _{East Texas}

Coastal Bend North Texas Deep East Texas North East Central Texas Middle Rio Grande Rural Capital South Texas Heart of Texas Golden Crescent Brazos Valley Texoma Lower Rio Grande Valley South East Texas Capital Area Cameron County Dallas County Tarrant County 0 1 to 10 11 to 25 26 to 35 36 to 65

Figure 4.4. Projected Annual Openings in Management in Fire Sciences Positions Between 2010 and 2020, by WDA

Potential limitations on the supply of baccalaureate programs in Texas are House Bills 2013 and 2347, which were adopted in 2009 and amended Section 54.208 of the Texas education code. These bills exempted all firefighters and public safety offers from paying tuition at state institutions when employed and pursuing a career-related associate or baccalaureate degree. According to stakeholders, this makes the provision of programs in the fire sciences relatively costly for community colleges and universities, as the institutions are not reimbursed for the tuition. Interviewees also reported that, other than Texas A&M, universities have shown little interest in fire sciences because the field is believed to be more suited to community colleges and fire academies.

It is possible that general applied business degree programs may be able to meet fire sciences workforce needs. General applied business degree programs focus on KSAs in

administration, human resources, and accounting that can be applied to a range of industries. Yet employers also expressed a desire for programs that are specifically tailored to the needs of fire sciences occupations. The fire sciences may require specific courses—such as safety—but these needs may be met by adding a few courses to existing programs, an option that likely will be cheaper than developing new programs in the fire sciences. In addition, several of the community colleges with an interest in providing such a program could consider combining it with other fields in public services, such as public safety. If these general programs can meet workforce needs, then the BAAS and BAT programs in business administration and organizational management should be considered potential sources of supply for fire sciences, and these programs should be marketed more broadly to individuals hoping to advance in the fire sciences.

If stakeholders determine that programs specific to fire sciences would be helpful in meeting workforce needs, then the absence of such programs in Texas suggests that at least one program should be introduced. Given the lack of revenue from tuition and firefighters’ preference for online programs, it is unlikely that there is a need for more than one or two focused programs in the state.

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