Do you want to make this world a better place by positively impacting the lives of the community you cohabit with? If so, a social work career can help you get started! Social work diversifies into different fields like psychology, medicine, social justice, law, mental health, human services, and education. It comprises helping individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations battle social issues to overcome problems and lead a productive life.
Their work involves working on macro-problems such as substance abuse, addiction, and poverty. Since it is a broad field, it extends to every part of the Massachusettscommunity, including hospitals, schools, community centers, healthcare facilities, private practices, and law offices to promote the development of society. If you are interested in pursuing a degree in social work, it is crucial to understand the responsibilities, duties, and services you may need. Do not forget that it can be as rewarding, challenging, and emotionally demanding as it is.
But fret not; here is a list of reasons why studying social work is promising for students in 2023!
1. Obtain your degree online
Earning a bachelor’s degree is the first step if you are considering studying social work, which typically takes around four years to complete. Depending on your flexibility in managing your work-life schedule, you can choose to study online or physically. After completing BSW, you can earn a two-year Master’s in Social Work (MSW). A BSW curriculum covers topics related to research methods, communications, social welfare policy, case management, human behavior, and cultural diversity.
If this sounds good to you, there are many online MSW courses in Massachusetts that allow students to develop an area of specialization to continue ahead in their desired field. Earning an MSW online can be a significant step towards your career advancement and positively impact society, especially if you have the flexibility of online programs. The program surely develops your skills, connections, and the ability to serve as a social work leader.
2. Allows you to make a positive impact
This degree involves supporting all those struggling with different life challenges, such as unemployment, poverty, addiction, abuse, disability, mental illness, and more. It is not only about supporting people but also training and cooperating with such individuals to make their life worth living. It also strongly emphasizes improving social justice and equality in society.
The social workers also make continuous efforts for the community members to develop and improve their skills, which helps to build a positive mindset in struggling individuals. By helping individuals and communities overcome challenges, you can make a tangible difference and create a more just and equitable society.
3. Increased Demand for Social Workers
In times of increasing issues, there is a multitude of options for social workers to choose where they want to work and with which kind of population they want to serve. There has been a surge in the demand for social workers, as the overall employment opportunities are expected to grow 9% from 2021 to 2031, much faster than other occupations. The job outlook of social work involves 74,700 openings each year, on average, over the decade.
4. Plenty of Careers to Choose From
After completing a Bachelor’s degree in social work, social work graduates have ample options to work in government, state institutions, or private firms, such as NGOs. They can become Case Managers, Patient Care Coordinators, and Community Health Workers, where they can work with different healthcare facilities to provide top-quality medical care and facilitate and inform patients about the available programs while improving their overall quality.
Their projected median salary ranges from $35000-$85000 per year. Moreover, graduates with a BSW degree can also find employment as social management aides, case management aides, community outreach workers, eligibility workers, human services specialists, etc.
Moving toward the jobs for a Master’s graduate in social work, you can become mental health care or substance abuse counselor. These careers involve psychologically helping the patients combat their food disorder, substance abuse addiction, and abusive relationships to help them change their behaviors so that they do not relapse later. According to Glassdoor, the median salary for a Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker is $60,515 annually in the United States.
Moreover, you can also establish a career as a social school worker, where you can bridge the gap between students, pupils, and families. The job description of a social worker involves meeting the children’s needs while also enlightening them through educational programs based on the themes of health, crisis, or sexual education. Their average salary is based around $51,061/ year.
The other careers for an MSW graduate involve becoming a medical social worker, child welfare case worker, professor of Social Work, public policy analyst, etc.
5. Gain Transferable Skills
This degree teaches the individual to communicate efficiently while incorporating the skills of problem-solving, empathy, teamwork, and time management, which are interchangeable according to different situations in the social work sector and other careers. Such skills go a long way in getting valued by the employees and developing your reputation in the workplace.
6. Offers Diversification
This field benefits you to diversify your areas of interest and allows you to specialize, ensuring that you end up finding your niche and focus that sparks up your passion, be it child welfare, mental health, community development, or healthcare, the degree of social work is such vast degree that it provides diverse career paths to suit your interests.
With the increasing population growth and the demand for skilled professionals, you can expect plentiful job opportunities and potential for personal and professional growth.
Conclusion
Remember, if you are still uncertain about picking a social degree as your major, one of the best means to find out is to volunteer. Explore the option by working with individuals, communities, and healthcare facilities to see if it is a pleasant and rewarding experience.
Social work aims to address social issues in all aspects of life, from helping troubled families to influencing legislation to eradicate structural inequality. This mission is what gives meaning to the career of social work.
The world requires dedicated, passionate social workers who can make exemplary societal changes through their services. But do not forget that together we can make a difference, one life at a time!
