Opportunity - Social Worker
Position Title: Social Worker
Significant Points:
Social workers help people overcome problems and make their lives
better. They might work with people who are homeless, sick, or having
family problems. Or they might help students who are having trouble in
school.
One of the ways social workers help is by finding resources for people.
For a person with family difficulties, social workers might find a
parenting class or support group. For a homeless person, they might find
a place to live and a career training program. For a student, they might
find a mentor or a learning disability expert.
Some social workers set up resources like these. They research what
kinds of help people need. Then, they set up programs to give that help.
They might focus on child abuse, poverty, violence, and other problems.
Many social workers give counseling. They talk to people about their
lives and help them to understand and solve their problems and to make
plans.
Working Conditions:
Nearly all social workers go to college. They earn at least a bachelor's
degree, which usually takes 4 years. Many social workers also need a
master's degree to get the jobs they want. A master's degree usually
takes 2 more years of school. Some people stay in school longer to earn
a doctoral degree.
In college, social workers learn different ways to help people. They
also take social studies classes, including psychology (how and why
people act and feel the way they do), sociology (how people act when
they are in a group and what problems groups have), economics (how
people get and use resources and how economies work), and ethics (how
people decide what is right and wrong). Students also learn by watching
experienced social workers.
Employment:
The middle half of medical and public health social workers made between
$34,110 and $53,740 in 2006. The lowest-paid 10 percent made less than
$27,280. The highest-paid 10 percent made more than $64,070.
The middle half of mental health and substance abuse social workers made
between $27,940 and $45,720 in 2006. The lowest-paid 10 percent made
less than $22,490. The highest-paid 10 percent made more than $57,630.
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