Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Social Work Jobs & Careers

Career Center - by Get Degrees Staff

Recommended Social Work Degrees

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A social work degree lets you help in the fight against some of society’s most pressing problems. Substance abuse, disease prevention, violent crime, hunger, poverty, and political activism are just some of the areas in which social workers connect with communities, families, and individuals to improve people’s lives.

Social Work Jobs & Careers

Social workers dedicate their lives–and their careers–to improving people’s lives, giving voices to marginalized communities, and helping to correct social ills. Working in a broad range of settings, they foster relationships with individuals, families, and communities while empowering them to solve every-day problems like inadequate housing, substance abuse, and domestic violence.

You do not necessarily need a social work degree to begin making a difference, but if you want to operate in an official capacity, advanced training is the best way to go. With a social work degree you can work in any number of positions, including:

• Administrator of a non-profit
• Census taker
• Childcare worker
• Community organizer
• Corrections and parole social worker
• Environmental social worker
• Ethnic minority social worker
• Family social worker
• Gender-specific social worker
• Grassroots activist
• Hospice care professional
• Medical and public health social worker
• Mental health social worker
• Nursing home professional
• Public policy social worker
• School social worker
• Sociologist
• Substance abuse social worker
• Survey and market research social worker
• Trauma, victims, and abuse specialist

What Training Is Necessary for a Social Work Degree?

To become actively involved in social work, all you really need is enough free time to volunteer. However, to turn social work into a career, you typically need a bachelors degree, which is the bare minimum that most states except. In addition, many regions of the country also require licensing and certification, especially if you’re going to be working with minors, narcotics, criminals, victims, or medicine. Because most types of social work touch on some or all of these aspects, completing your certification boosts your employability considerably.

For the best employment prospects, you should consider completing a master’s degree in social work. This is increasingly becoming the standard for many organizations, and you can enjoy greater access to a wider range of jobs. The two extra years you invest in your degree can help you to quickly advance your career, depending on the organization and environment.

What Will a Social Work Degree Teach You?

Different programs and specialties stress different aspects of social work. Some focus on rehabilitation, others on disease prevention, and still others on problem-solving and community involvement. In almost call cases, however, various aspects of statistics, communication, conflict resolution, psychology, and research typically form the foundation of your education. Thereafter, you can branch into those areas specific to your career aspirations. It is not uncommon to also train in areas that might seem unrelated to social work. To become an administrator or manager in a social work organization, for example, might require business administration skills, including:

• Accounting
• Finance
• Budgeting
• Grant writing

In addition, computer science and information technology are becoming increasingly valuable tools for social workers around the country, so consider supplementing your education accordingly. If you plan on working within non-English-speaking communities, it’s useful to master the necessary language skills of whatever target groups apply.

Start your degree in the rewarding field of social work today, and make a difference in your community.

Stanley Rubenti
Stanely Rubenti is a world traveling writer and editor who has lived in Japan, the US, Thailand, and France. He currently resides in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where he offers college admissions advice for international students interested in studying abroad.