How to Start a Career In Social Work

How to Start a Career In Social Work

Are you committed to bringing in a good change in the lives of people and society and looking for a welfare-oriented career?

Then a career in social work is the perfect fit! Social workers are able to help people daily and have a positive impact on the community.

To become a social worker, you need to earn a degree. The best part is that you can earn the degree online and according to Social Work Guide report can complete it in as less time as two years.

A degree in social work opens up the gates of a high paying career. Here, we have jotted down the reasons why you should consider a career in social work.

Plenty of job opportunities

Social work is an exciting field. You get a chance to help people of all ages from young children to adults and the elderly.

Social workers work in different communities and help people with mental illness, support children in the orphanages and assist in the rehabilitation of prisoners.

Since these are different dimensions, social workers bring in the real change in the community and provide much-needed help.

Some of the popular jobs available in the social work include,

  1. Child Welfare: Social workers in this field assist in investigating cases of child abuse and negligence. They help to remove children in a dangerous environment and provide child support and care services.
  2. Direct Service:  These social workers work directly for specific agencies such as providing shelter to homeless youth, offering programs for gang youth, etc. These social workers help people to become stable and self-sufficient.
  3. Gerontology: These social workers help senior citizens and their families to deal with the challenges of aging. They provide support and assist in the transition from long-term care to nursing homes to the end of life planning.
  4. Public health: Social workers in this field partner with the medical department like hospitals, emergency rooms, etc. to assist the patients in need of immediate care and offer help in tedious paperwork or taking difficult decisions.

Social workers are highly paid.

According to PayScale social workers earn an average salary of $44,553 per year with additional bonuses of $5,023 annually.

The salary average is even higher in the challenging or in-demand social work fields.

Making a difference

No matter whichever field you choose within social work, you will always make a difference.

From standing up for peoples’ rights to providing support to children and underprivileged, social workers play an essential role in any community.

Social workers are the first to offer a helping hand to those in need.

They intervene in a situation to improve the lives of people such as intervening in the child mistreatment cases or elder abuse at nursing homes.

Social workers help to change lives.

Pre-requisite

In order to dive into the field of social work, you must earn a degree in social work.

You can either pursue a BSW, Bachelor’s in Social Work or MSW, Masters in Social Work. Bachelor’s is the preliminary degree while masters is a higher degree which is earned later on.

A BSW will provide you all the required basic education about social work and equip you with the skills needed in any area of social work.

It is a general degree which educates you about all the career paths available and is generally sufficient qualification for most of the social work jobs.

MSW is a specialised degree in a specific career path. You must choose a specific career path for your masters and it will equip you with all the information and skills related to that field.

A MSW degree allows you to work in particular settings such as teaching facilities, hospitals or research centers.

You may have to take a licensing exam after completion of your degree in order to be legally qualified to work in your state.

Bring in the change

Social work is the perfect career for one intended to bring in a change and even if you don’t know anything about the field you are interested in, there is only one way to get started, pursue a degree in social work.

It will introduce you to the various career paths available and equip you with the skills needed to pursue it. Start your search today, register yourself online and get your degree…. if you are determined to bring in a change!