# Choose Careers or Volunteer Service

Part of the Scouting Heritage Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/scouting-heritage/guide/index.md)

*9. Careers in Scouting*

> **9.** Do ONE of the following:

This final requirement asks you to look ahead. You must choose **one** of two options that explore how your Scouting knowledge could become a career or a lifelong volunteer commitment.

## Your Options

- **[Req 9a — Explore Scouting Careers](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/scouting-heritage/guide/req9a/)**: Research a career related to Scouting — training, education, salary, job duties, and what makes it interesting. This path is about professional Scouting and related fields.
- **[Req 9b — Explore Scouting Volunteering](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/scouting-heritage/guide/req9b/)**: Research how you could serve Scouting as a volunteer at the unit, district, council, or national level. This path is about giving back as a lifelong Scouter.

## How to Choose

- **Interested in making Scouting your job?** Option A explores careers where you get paid to serve young people through Scouting — as a District Executive, Scout Executive, camp director, or in a related field like outdoor education or youth development.
- **Interested in staying involved as a volunteer?** Option B explores the many ways adults give their time to Scouting — as Scoutmasters, committee members, merit badge counselors, camp staff, and leaders at every level of the organization.

> **Tip**
>
> Both options ask you to do real research and discuss your findings with your counselor. Do not just describe a job or a volunteer role in general terms — dig into the specifics of training, costs, time commitment, and what the experience would be like day-to-day.

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- Previous: [Interview Former Scouts](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/scouting-heritage/guide/req8/index.md)
- Next: [Careers Related to Scouting](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/scouting-heritage/guide/req9a/index.md)