When children are young, they need help with crossing the street, but sometimes even adults need help. Crossing guards work in all kinds of places to help people get where they need to go. If you like to help people, this might be the right job for you.

Driving can be complicated, and sometimes people need help. At schools, crossing guards work before and after school to help students get safely from one side of the road to another. They watch for traffic and wait for a safe time to let the students cross. At construction sites, crossing guards direct traffic and pedestrians towards places where they can safely go without causing problems for the workers. Wherever they work, crossing guards do more than just point people in the right direction. They watch to make sure that drivers are following traffic rules and report unsafe actions or other problems.

Becoming a crossing guard might seem simple, but sometimes special skills are necessary. If a student becomes ill or hurt at a crossing, for example, a crossing guard might need to call for help and then use First Aid on the person until the ambulance arrives. People in this job need to be healthy enough to stand for long periods of time and be able to hold signs. They should have good vision (with or without glasses), good hearing, and they should not be colourblind, because they need to be able to react quickly to traffic signals.

Besides these requirements, a high school diploma is normally all the education that is necessary for becoming a crossing guard. Most employers also provide some training for the job, often just a few weeks long. Salaries for people in this field start at $18,000 and can rise to $36,000, but pay can vary from one part of the country to the other.

Work in this field is not very difficult, but it can be tiring. Some people might find that they have to give up the job as they get older, or at least move to an easier location . Because the work is outdoors, crossing guards need to be prepared for all kinds of weather. Sometimes, they might have to stand in the rain or wind, extreme heat or cold. If you want to become a crossing guard, you will need to prepare to feel uncomfortable at many times of the year, but the job can also be very pleasant at some times of the year.

Being friendly and patient is an important part of being a crossing guard. No matter how difficult other people are or what the weather is like, crossing guards need to be able to deal with others politely and efficiently. Sometimes, crossing guards can even become friends with the people they help, and that can make the job special.

Even if they feel sick or tired, crossing guards need to keep their minds on the job. Not noticing just one car could result in an accident for someone on the route. Do you think that you can manage all of that? Why not consider becoming a crossing guard?

Bibliography:

Career Planner.com. “Crossing Guards.” https://job-descriptions.careerplanner.com/Crossing-Guards.cfm.

My Plan.com. “Crossing Guards.” https://www.myplan.com/careers/crossing-guards/description-33-9091.00.html.

Neuvoo.ca. “Crossing Guard Salary.” https://neuvoo.ca/salary/crossing-guard/.