Social workers can witness the best and worst of human nature on a daily basis. Whilst this can be confronting and challenging, most social workers find the role to be incredibly rewarding, with real opportunities to make a difference to the lives of others. With a 3% increase in children and family workers between September 2017 and September 2018, it’s clear that demand for skilled professionals is high and more people are turning to social work as a career. Here’s why:
You’ll make an impact
Social work is concerned with assisting people in society who need it most. At its core, it’s a rewarding job that can ultimately improve the lives of others. You might work with vulnerable adults, children or families, being tasked to help people who are in difficult situations overcome barriers and improve their lives. Everyone deserves to live fulfilling, happy and healthy lives, and you can help to make this a reality for some of the UK’s most vulnerable people.
There is an abundance of jobs
Social work is a growing field, with more organisations and communities now recognising the need for the services for educated and trained social work professionals. As communities grow and more societal challenges emerge, there will be further opportunities. As it stands currently, 91% of social work graduates find work within six months of graduating, which is higher than that of graduates across all higher education. On top of that, there’s significant scope for career development and progression within social work, particularly if you undertake Continuing Professional Development courses and specialise in particular sectors of social work.
You’ll never be bored
There are so many different elements to social work, and indeed so many different areas you can specialise in. Your work is typically not desk-based and you’ll interact with a range of people every day. Unexpected situations keep you on your toes and you can branch off to specialise in different areas, including child protection, the prison service and mental health.
Take the next step in your social work career
At Tradewind Recruitment Social Care, we’re always on the lookout for qualified social workers. Whether you specialise in foster care, schools, children or adults, we could have the perfect job for you. See our latest social work jobs here.