Jump Start A Career in Public Safety Communications

APCO’s Student & Educator membership is intended to increase an interested student’s exposure to the public safety communications industry through APCO membership benefits, training and events. It opens up awareness of public safety telecommunications as a career option and helps develop leaders for the future by reaching students with an aptitude for related careers early.

Student Membership | $29

The Student member category is reserved for individuals, not already employed in the public safety communications profession, who meet one of the below criteria:

  • Full-time or part-time student enrolled in a post-secondary academic program studying public safety communications, emergency management, criminal justice, fire science, cybersecurity, information technology, or other related fields, with an interest in pursuing a career in public safety communications
  • High school student enrolled in an academic program or school-sponsored extracurricular activity designed to introduce and prepare students for a career in public safety communications
  • Intern or trainee (whether paid or unpaid) for an agency for a period not to exceed one year. This may also extend to individuals exercising a gap year in their schooling or those within one year of graduating from a qualifying program.

Educator Membership | $29

The Educator member category is reserved for educators who are not already employed in the public safety communications profession and who meet all of the following criteria:

  • Currently teaching at a secondary or post-secondary institution
  • Provides instruction in an academic program or school-sponsored extracurricular

Benefits of Student & Educator Membership

Membership
  • No voting privileges
  • Chapter membership
  • Affinity programs
Committees & National Office
  • Can hold committee internship (with Executive Committee permission)
Communications
  • Online PSC magazine
  • eNews weekly newsletter
  • Membership Minute monthly e-newsletter
  • PSConnect online community
  • Cybersecurity awareness notices
Training
  • Discounts on Institute courses
  • Free webinars
Events
  • Conference discounts

More About Practitioner Memberships

We’ll be here for you when you start your professional career.

Public Safety Practitioner Membership

APCO public safety practitioner membership is available to public safety professionals who staff, manage, design, construct, install, command or operate an emergency communications center (ECC) and/or supporting information system.

Commercial Membership

Commercial membership is available to those who receive compensation for providing products and/or services to an emergency communications center. Vendors, consultants, suppliers, salespeople, manufacturers and training entities may qualify as commercial members. Commercial members do not have general voting privileges but may otherwise enjoy all benefits and privileges of the association.