Consumer Services

With over 31 million residents, California boasts the largest population of consumers of goods and services of any other state in the nation. As a result, the field of Consumer Services offers unlimited career choices, from jobs assisting customers, to representing product lines, to developing marketing plans for major industries. The Consumer Services career path allows students to tailor their learning toward their specific career focus, as well as draw on a broad base of knowledge to become more educated consumers themselves.

Students pursuing the Consumer Services career path program study:

• business structure;
• global perspectives and outlooks;
• consumer rights and responsibilities;
• computer applications;
• customer relations.
  

Consumer Services students also learn employment and management skills for careers in consumer communications; energy, environment, and resource management; product development, testing and demonstration; personal and family financial management; and personal services. Occupation-specific curriculum includes research; advertising and public relations; energy efficiency, waste management and consumer programs; product information; testing procedures, labeling and demonstration techniques; economics and personal finance; consumer credit; and selection of product merchandise and services.

In California's competitive economy, the need for educated and informed consumer services specialists has increased significantly. The increased interest in energy efficiency and other environmental issues will affect not only the manner in which products are developed and made, but also the manner in which they are promoted and offered to the public. "Hot" employment areas in Consumer Services include research and development for "niche" markets such as seniors and baby boomers; and industry globalization, which allows entry into foreign markets. Employment of product managers, category managers, and logistics engineers should also increase over the next ten years.