Social work is a demanding line of work, but one that offers many different advantages.
While there are higher-paying jobs out there, few jobs offer the same ability to have a significant, positive impact on someone’s life.
But, before you become a social worker, you need to attend social work school. Fortunately for you, there are many benefits awaiting you!
You Can Start Working With Just a Bachelor’s Degree
If you attend social work school and get a bachelor’s of social work (BSW), you can begin working immediately after graduation.
Typically, jobs that only require a BSW are entry-level, but these types of jobs (e.g., a case manager) offer you the opportunity to get some experience, make some money, and determine what areas of social work interest you the most.
Perhaps more importantly, an entry-level job helps you ease into the profession. Usually, you’ll have a supervisor that’s experienced in this line of work who can offer advice and answer questions you have about doing your job and doing it well.
A Degree in Social Work Prepares You For Many Different Pursuits in the Future
It’s a natural progression to go to social work school and then start working in the field of social work, but you can do many other things as well.
For example, if you get a BSW, you can use that educational experience as a springboard for pursuing a master’s of social work (MSW). Getting an MSW not only helps you develop a deeper level of knowledge and skills, but it will also help you work towards licensure and certification as a social worker.
If you decide to enter the workforce, you can work in all sorts of settings. People with a BSW work for the Department of Correctional Services, victim’s advocacy groups, homeless shelters, non-profits, and many other organizations.
An Advanced Degree in Social Work Opens up Even More Doors
If you get an MSW, your options open up even more.
You can work in any of the settings mentioned above, but likely in a higher position, such as a supervisory role.
With an MSW you can also work in community mental health, become a licensed clinical social worker, work in a residential treatment setting, or work in public or private schools, to name just a few.
Additionally, if you want to continue your education, an MSW prepares you for doctoral work in social work or related areas like counselling.
You’ll Learn Highly Valuable Skills
The skills you learn in social work school will help you build a vast toolkit you can draw on to help others in need.
Whether you use your understanding of human behavior to help de-escalate a tense situation, your knowledge of welfare systems to help a client secure money they need to survive, or tap into your clinical skills to offer therapy to clients in crisis, your social work education can be relied upon to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
Attending Social Work School Helps You Build a Network
One of the best benefits of attending social work school is that you will make lasting connections with classmates, professors, and others who will become part of your professional network.
On the one hand, this is important from an employment standpoint. In many cases, social work students will find jobs because of a recommendation from a professor or because of a work experience they have during a practicum or internship that’s part of their studies.
On the other hand, the connections you make in social work school can bear fruit from a professional standpoint down the road. For example, if you’re working with a client that has unique needs, you might find that one of your classmates or professors from social work school can be a resource for helping your client with their specific needs.
Scholarships, Grants, and Research Funding Can Help Offset the Cost of Your Social Work Degree
In other words, social work school will be beneficial for you as you try to land your first social work job, but, more importantly, it can also help you develop resources that you can use for the benefit of your future clients.
There’s no getting around the fact that college is expensive. But if you attend social work school, there are various avenues for trying to offset those costs.
Depending on your academic performance and financial need, you might qualify for scholarships or grants through your school or other organizations. Likewise, work-study programs offered by your school or the Social Work Department at your school can help defray some of your costs.
