When one thinks of social work, the general image that pops into their mind is that of one-on-one consultations or volunteering in orphanages and old homes. However, this forms only a fraction of the responsibilities shouldered by social workers and doesn’t paint the complete picture.
The work of social workers is much more expansive and strives to make a positive impact not just localized to a particular community but globally.
All the social plagues that you can think of, inequality, climate change, mental health issues, lack of education, unemployment crisis, and political, social, and economic deprivation that heavily influence the prosperity of people around the world, are effectively dealt with by social workers.
By working to alleviate and resolve these deep-rooted societal issues, social work is one of-if not the-most lucrative and well-respected careers out there.
In addition, a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the field can better equip you with the required skills and offer great opportunities even beyond the specific niche of a social worker.
Top 3 Reasons to Pursue Social Work Degree
Prepares you for a variety of careers
A social worker degree trains you -both theoretically and hands-on- to effectively communicate with multiple types of marginalized groups and those that need support to overcome their social disabilities.
The students are taught how to establish healthy communication with their clients and identify factors hindering their growth and well-being, benefiting the community. Even when this degree is earned online, in the comforts of your home, the coursework is as vigorous and well-rounded as those taken in person.
A social work degree polishes your interpersonal skills and outlook on the people you interact with and opens new doors for you in every career you’ll find, not just in jobs for social work.
Furthermore, it will help you think out of the box when understanding and devising policies for your employers and dealing with difficult team members.
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A social work degree holder can find lucrative jobs in:
- Education: Here they can help devise better curriculums that ensure progress for both the students and the institute. They can also be counselors and child and youth care workers specializing in students’ emotional and social learning.
- Child and Family Services: Young people are the most fragile and vulnerable members of society, and their issues must be dealt with carefully and diligently. A social work degree prepares you to work closely with children and families in foster care and child protection services. They can also be hired as marriage counselors or domestic violence prevention advocates to ensure that the family system runs smoothly.
- Healthcare: These include environmental, mental, and public health administrator jobs handling patients from various social and economic backgrounds. With advanced medical science and an aging population, there is also a need for improved gerontological services. These deal with the old aged, ensure they live the remainder of their lives comfortably and ensure policymakers do not overlook their needs. According to a study by Tulane University, social workers helped decrease the number of juvenile arrests by 68% between 1996 to 2015.
- Research and Development: You can pursue a career researching new policies that work toward society’s welfare and improve their living and working conditions. These jobs could be in government, law, NGOs, or international forums renowned as the UN. You can also work with companies to ensure workers’ most productive and healthy environments or help alleviate a refugee crisis.
Stability and good salary
In this tough economy where unemployment and inflation seem rampant, everyone desires a stable, high-paying job. Thankfully, the demand for social workers is on an ever-increasing trend and is projected to grow 16% by 2026.
Since social workers deal with people, communities, and their problems, they can never run out of work to do. Therefore, they will always be needed, unlike most other jobs being replaced by machines, AI, and computers.
No one can understand the human mind better than someone who has studied and trained for it. So, while the World Economic Forum predicts that the increased use of technology and automation will displace about 85 million jobs by 2025, social work degree holders can rest assured that they won’t form part of these numbers.
Moreover, a social work degree boosts your CV and sets you up for a higher salary than your competitors. Why so? Well, employers value people who bring empathy, problem-solving and analytical skills to their company- traits that are honed throughout a social work curriculum.
The median salary for social workers is around $40,000 to $80,000.
Exposure beyond the classroom
Many students complain that their banal classroom studies do not teach them much about handling the practical aspects of their lives after graduation.
A social work degree equips you with a useful skill set both inside and outside your chosen workplace. These include but are not limited to emotional intelligence, adaptability, sharp diagnostic skills, or more advanced ones such as clinical and laboratory skills if you plan to get a Masters and Ph.D. in social work.
Apart from this, if you love to travel, explore exciting new places, and want to meet people from diverse backgrounds, a social work degree offers you plenty of these experiences.
You just need to make up your mind and go for a social work degree.
Conclusion
Social workers go above and beyond to empower marginalized and challenged communities to leave a remarkable legacy. Their work is integral to the prosperity of individuals, whether they are in an educational, medical, political, legal, or environmental setup.
Enrolling in a social work degree today can benefit you as you will learn resourceful skill sets and get a competitive salary. But, most importantly, you can do a great service to humanity.
Hope you enjoyed the article thoroughly and understood the fundamental reasons to pursue a social work degree. It will transform you into a good person and help you spread positivity in society.
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