Anyone who has chosen to dedicate their professional working life to the pursuit of a career in social work has to be the type of person who is selfless, compassionate, and wants to make a genuine difference to the people in their local area and beyond.
So, whether you are currently just finishing up your bachelor’s degree or master’s program in social work and social care or else have been working within the field for a number of years and are looking for a new and exciting challenge, continue reading to find out more about working as a social worker.
It may well be the case that you have been working as a private practice social worker for the last few years and are now interested in military social work instead. If so, it would be helpful to be made aware of the main specialist careers within the field, which are:
- Pediatric social workers
- Macro social workers
- Private practice social workers
- Clinical social workers
- Palliative & hospice social workers
- School social workers
- Gerontological social work
- Child welfare social work
- Medical social workers
- Forensic social workers
- Psychiatric social workers
- Military social workers
Naturally, each individual specialism within social work and social care has its own challenges, and it is worth conducting thorough research into the area in which you intend to focus your efforts.
If you have only just decided that you are interested in entering the world of social care, then it is first necessary to successfully complete a bachelor’s undergraduate degree program in social work before pursuing a master’s postgraduate degree.
After acquiring both levels of degree, it is time for you to complete the AWSB detailed examination. This official certification is wholly mandatory to complete your goal of becoming a professional social worker.
Finally, you should apply for your state social work license, which again is compulsory, and then and only then will you become a registered and qualified professional social worker.
If rather than needing advice on how to enter the world of social work, you instead want to know how to progress in your chosen vocation, there are several different pathways available for you to take.
However, by far the most logical, and indeed the most productive and ultimately effective, is to embark upon an online MSW program at a reputable and renowned online university.
This way, you are still able to stay at your current place of work and in your current job role and simply fit your studies and coursework around your existing personal and professional responsibilities.
In addition to furthering your education in the field, other ways to start to look into the future regarding your career and the direction in which it is heading include taking on additional duties aside from your own current roles, volunteering to assist co-workers with their own challenges, and working as hard as possible, even when no one is looking.
Additionals:
