Social Services Careers Outlook
The U.S. Department of Labor (USDL) predicts that employment for social workers will grow faster than average through 2014. Competition for jobs in cities will be high due to the number of qualified candidates, but openings in rural areas may be easier to obtain. The steadily increasing elderly population will keep demand high for health and social service workers who specialize in helping senior citizens.
Most communities recognize the importance of social services. New social problems develop every day. Most social programs require government funding to continue operating, and bureaucracy and budget cuts can make it difficult to keep a social service running. New initiatives in job retraining and welfare reform could brighten prospects for social services workers, but much depends on government policies.
Opportunities for private social workers or social workers in the private sector are expected to grow. Substance abuse is one area identified by the USDL that will increase rapidly. Jobs for school social workers are also predicted to increase.
As client groups change, so will social services. For example, as gays and lesbians continue to assert their civil rights and to seek legislation protecting them from discrimination, the social services worker will become more involved in providing them advocacy and legal aid. Changes in immigration policies also will change the kinds of social services available to legal and illegal immigrants.
Related Career Fields:
Related Career Cluster:
Careers in Social Services:
- Adult Day Care Coordinators
- Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors
- Career and Employment Counselors and Technicians
- Child Life Specialists
- Creative Arts Therapists
- Elder Law Attorneys
- Geriatric Psychiatrists
- Geriatric Social Workers
- Grant Coordinators and Writers
- Grief Therapists
- HIV/AIDS Counselors and Case Managers
- Home Health Care Aides
- Hospice Workers
- Human Services Workers
- Interpreters and Translators
- Medical Assistants
- Nonprofit Social Service Directors
- Occupational Therapists
- Orientation and Mobility Specialists
- Parole Officers
- Psychiatric Technicians
- Psychiatrists
- Psychologists
- Recreational Therapists
- Registered Nurses
- Rehabilitation Counselors
- Sign Language and Oral Interpreters
- Social Workers