Careers in Social Work
Social work is a highly reputable profession that deals with the uplift of society. Social work engages a broad spectrum of disciplines and impacts a large segment of the community. Social workers can be employed by private as well as the public sectors. Such professionals may be affiliated with nonprofit organizations and work in areas such as communicating awareness of various diseases, infections and treatments to remote areas of the world.
Social work is defined as the pursuit of social welfare and social change. Social welfare and social change entails a large and diverse spectrum. Social workers are employed in the healthcare sector, education sector, industrial and manufacturing plants, nonprofit organizations, United Nations, government organizations and the private sector.
The salary of a social worker depends upon the following important parameters:
- Number of years in a particular field of study
- Relevant experience pertaining to social work
- Level of education
- Field of employment
Social workers that are effectively working in the educational segment would have a different salary range as compared to the social workers that have to travel to remote areas and propagate important information regarding specific diseases and their cures. Similarly, social workers that assist in the overall rehabilitation of disaster affected areas would have a different salary package as compared to those social workers that assist the elderly. Salary packages of social workers are dependent upon the particular field that they are working in. On average, a student that has successfully graduated with a diploma, certification or degree in social work, will find a job that ranges from $35,000 to $50,000.
Education in Social Work
Students who are serious about joining the social work industry should consider pursuing a diploma, certification program, or a degree program through an accredited university or college. Most of the community colleges and junior colleges all across America offer a variety of different Associate's degrees in social work. Hundreds of different diplomas are also offered by vocational institutes and other nonprofit organizations in a relevant field of study. Many universities also offer Bachelor's degrees, Master's degrees and even PhD programs in social work.
Social workers play a very important part in the overall uplift of the economy and the community. They are treated as very important professionals as they build and improve communities. In fact, a majority of social workers have seen a phenomenal growth in their careers and salaries as they move from project to project. It is highly recommended that social workers specialize in a particular field of study. Social workers that pursue a diploma or certification in developing the communication skills of disabled children will find jobs relevant to their field of study. The more relevant the skill set a social worker has, the more opportunities that person would have in securing a sound job and achieve higher salaries, as compared to those that have been working in the general social work environment.