Education social services - Career Watch 2002 - Careers 2002

LIKE WORKING WITH PEOPLE? IS HELPING THE world more important than making money? Then a career in social services may be just what you are looking for.

"You're typically paid less if you do this kind of work, so you really need to believe in the cause," says Russ Finkeisrein, the director of outreach for Action Without Borders, a nonprofit organization in New York City, which works around the world to create community groups that will address local problems.

The reward: You perform meaningful work and spend your days with interesting colleagues who share your values. Teacher, social worker, law enforcement officer, nonprofit worker, politician, environmental activist--these jobs all attract people who want to serve their communities.

Jobs in the social services should be plentiful in the coming years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Demand for adult day care and meal delivery programs will be stimulated by a growth in the number of elderly people in the United States. The increasing popularity of welfare-to-work programs should stimulate the need for more job training services. And the number of community-based programs and group residences, which house and help homeless, chronically ill, and mentally ill clients, is expected to rise.

More teachers are needed to meet shortages caused by retirements, growing numbers of students, and reduced class sizes. Demand is expected to lift salaries over the next 10 years. Some districts are paying signing bonuses to teachers of particular subjects, such as science or computer science.

ARE YOU A PEOPLE PERSON?

Some social service professionals work with people who face serious problems: inadequate housing, unemployment, lack of job skills, serious illness, substance abuse, unwanted pregnancy, child or spousal abuse. You work directly with people, helping them get what they need.

It can also be frustrating, emotionally taxing work. "Don't do it because you expect people to say thank you," says April Gates, 34, who works at Children's Hospital in Washington, D.C. As a social worker in the oncology department, Gates deals with people who are going through the worst crisis of their lives.

"These people are watching their child go through life-threatening treatments for cancer," she says. "They're focused on the child and the doctors, not on you.

Even healthy, happy clients can be a handful. "Working with teenagers can be a high maintenance task," says high school teacher Paris DeSoto. "I have to be on watch constantly, or they will start doing things they aren't supposed to, like sleeping, writing notes, doing homework for another class, and braiding hair."

ADVANCEMENT

Social services administrators tend to start our in direct services. School principals, for instance, spend years in the classroom first. But advanced degrees can be a fast-track into administration. Someone with a master's degree in public health could go straight to work for the federal government, allocating money for direct services programs. Someone with a master's degree in business administration could jump to the top of a nonprofit organization, preparing budgets and handling the organization's finances.

To be a good administrator, you need to be able to set goals for your organization, establish policies, monitor students' or clients' progress, train and motivate staff, manage facilities, keep records and accounts, handle the community and the press, and perform many other duties, usually while working within a budget that is way too small.

Gwendolyn Bradley

RELATED ARTICLE: FIREFIGHTER

BRAD BOLEN

AGE: 30

LOCATION: Boise, ID

JOB: Helitack crew supervisor, Bureau of Land Management, Lower Snake River District

EDUCATION: No degree is required, but the fire services is a lot like college, says Bolen. "For each level of firefighting training, there's coursework," he says. Bolen's liberal arts studies at Boise State, plus his job experience, made him a great candidate for a management position.

SALARY: The median annual salary for firefighters is $32,864; for supervisors, $48,339.

ON THE JOB: In addition to putting out wildfires, the Helitack crew uses helicopters to perform search and rescue operations, facilitate evacuations, and collect data for forest rehabilitation specialists. The crew works on a local (the Boise National Forest and other nearby government lands) and national level.

"I supervise a 12-person crew of eight career and four seasonal firefighters," says Bolen. "The biggest part of being a supervisor is being understanding and communicating in stressful situations. Your job is never the same, you never know what's going to happen next. Be prepared for anything."

STARTING OUT: "You have to complete a minimum of one season as a wildland firefighter before training for a Helitack crew. I worked seasonally through college and became full-time."

REWARDS: Bolen enjoys flying helicopters, getting paid to "work out," and being part of a team. "You feel a sense of accomplishment [after a job], and you get to travel quite a bit," he says.

CHALLENGES: Fighting fires is "physically demanding work," and during fire season (late June through September), crew members can log in 500 to 1,000 hours overtime. However, "You can take off for a month or two during off-season." Also, Bolen has to be prepared to save people in their homes since "90 percent of our jobs deal with the public in areas of wildfire."

MORE INFO: Bureau of Land Management Office of Fire & Aviation, www.fire.blm.gov

Jami Dittus

NONPROFIT MANAGER

LORENE A. JACKSON

AGE: 28

LOCATION: Huntsville, AL

JOB: Director, Nike Sports and Training Program, Boys and Girls Clubs of America

EDUCATION: There are no requirements, but Jackson has a bachelor's degrees in psychology, as well as training in adult education and youth development. Communications skills are also helpful.

SALARY: The average salary is $48,030.

ON THE JOB: Jackson teaches adult leaders how to develop sports programs that will help kids increase fitness, build self-esteem, and avoid alcohol and drugs. She also organizes special events, such as the Ken Griffey Jr. Home Run Challenge, where youngsters build basic motor skills through throwing, catching, and running games.

STARTING OUT: As a teen, Jackson attended a Girls Club camp each summer and helped the staff with younger members.

REWARDS: "My work is going to impact young people in a positive way," she says. For example, Jackson says the annual Sports Leadership Camp allows young people from around the country to visit a college campus. "After participating, they're considering going to college."

CHALLENGES: Jackson travels a lot. "It may seem glamorous, but it can be wearing," she says.

MORE INFO: The American Society for Association Executives, www.asaenet.org.

Melanie Gold

ENVIRONMENTALIST

SCOTT PAUL

AGE: 36

LOCATION: Washington, DC

JOB: Senior forest campaigner for Greenpeace, an environmental organization

EDUCATION: There is no specific academic path to be an environmentalist, but having a college degree is always helpful. Some colleges even offer environmental studies programs. Paul has a bachelor's in communications from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, and a master's in Latin American studies from San Diego Sate University in California.

"What is most important is your commitment to environmental and social causes," Paul says. "That is valued over academics."

SALARY: Paul estimates the average salary as $33,000 to $42,000.

ON THE JOB: Paul assists Greenpeace's efforts to save the remaining 20 percent of earth's ancient forests. He traces lumber bought in bulk by companies such as Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and Proctor & Gamble. If he learns that the company is buying its lumber from a logger engaging in environmentally unsafe activities, he informs the company that it has an environmental responsibility to buy from a reputable logger.

STARTING OUT: Paul sent several years working for the Costa Rican National Park Service. Before Greenpeace, he worked in the White House's Environmental Policy Office and for the Global Forest Policy Project. He advises students interested in an environmental career to get involved with organizations to get a broad perspective on the environmental issues at stake.

REWARDS: "The opportunity to travel to some of the most beautiful forest regions on earth."

CHALLENGES: "The constant travel. I practically live in airports; that takes its toll on you."

MORE INFO: The Environmental Careers Organization, www.eco.org

Kurt Anthony Krug

Social Worker

CLAUDIA MARQUEZ

AGE: 35

LOCATION: Washington, DC

JOB: Social worker for Mosaica, an organization that helps small community groups provide improved services

EDUCATION: A bachelor's or master's degree in social work, sociology, or urban planning is recommended. Marquez has a bachelor's in Latin American studies and a master's in social work from Catholic University in Washington, DC.

SALARY: The median annual salary is $30,590.

ON THE JOB: "I work with small organizations that are helping children, immigrants, homeless people, or other needy groups.

I help the organizations find out what their communities need and how those needs can best be met," she says. For example, Marquez works with a group that offers housing and social services to people affected by HIV/AIDS.

STARTING OUT: "For a long time, I have done a variety of volunteer jobs because I'm always interested in helping people. But I wanted to go into communities and work with a large number of people and really make an impact."

REWARDS: "I can really see the [positive] effects of my work."

CHALLENGES: "A lot of community groups don't have enough money, so it's hard to accomplish their goals. Also, some organizations become fixed on serving one group (e.g., homeless, youth, women) without creating flexibility to serve other groups. And while it's good to identify a group with a certain need, they should also be flexible to provide services to everyone."

MORE INFO: National Association of Social Workers, www.naswdc.org

Police officer

JONATHAN D. LOGAN

AGE: 24

LOCATION: Columbia, MO

JOB: Police officer

EDUCATION: To be eligible for employment with the Columbia Police Department you must be at least 21 years old, have a minimum of 60 hours of college course work from an accredited college or university, and reside in Boone County. Logan has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg.

SALARY: The median annual salary for police officers is $37,710.

ON THE JOB: Logan's duties include routine patrol, traffic enforcement, and handling calls for service; all with an emphasis on community policing. A patrol shift could involve investigating domestic disturbances, burglaries, robberies, assaults, traffic accidents, deaths, or possible drug dealing.

STARTING OUT: Potential officers must be able to clearly communicate in both ordinary and stressful situations, including courtroom testimony. Officers must also demonstrate sound judgment, be decisive, and exhibit leadership. They have to pass a physical agility test in which they run an obstacle course (including climbing a wall and dragging a dummy). They must also be trained to use weapons, including batons, chemical spray, and guns.

REWARDS: "I enjoy the freedom of not being in an office all day. I enjoy knowing that I am in a unique and extremely important career with the ability to positively affect the community in which I live. During my two-year career, I am most proud of the illegal drugs and guns I've removed from the street, the intoxicated drivers I've taken off the road, and the relationships I've established with the citizens."

CHALLENGES: Dealing with uncooperative, possibly dangerous people, the odd hours, and stress.

MORE INFO: Police Corps, www.ojp.usdoj.gov/opclee

Elementary school teacher

HEATHER ELLEN

AGE: 32

LOCATION: Sacramento, CA

JOB: First and second grade teacher for a charter school with mostly Russian and Ukrainian immigrants.

EDUCATION: A bachelor's degree, plus completion of an approved teacher-training program, practicum (a teaching internship), student teaching, and state licensure is required. Some states, including California, require technology training for certification.

SALARY: Median salary ranges from $33,590 to $37,890.

ON THE JOB: "I spend two to three hours at school after teaching, and then another hour or two correcting papers at home."

REWARDS: "It's a profound experience when you realize you're planting the seed for children to become lifelong learners. Teaching goes well beyond their time with me. Every day is interesting. And you don't have a boss hovering over you."

CHALLENGES: "Many of my students can't read English, and we have no library. Funding is limited, so I often spend my own money for supplies. Parents can be a challenge, too."

MORE INFO: National Education Association, www.nea.org.

LIBRARIAN

SCOTT COLLARD

AGE: 31

LOCATION: Chicago, IL

JOB: Resident librarian and visiting instructor at University of Illinois, Chicago

EDUCATION: Collard holds a bachelor's in humanities from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a master's in library information science (typically required for advancement) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

SALARY: From $32,000 to $80,000, depending on the institution and your experience.

ON THE JOB: "We work at the reference desk for a couple hours a day and help people do research and take care of any problems they might have with finding facts. We also teach classes in information literacy--how to be an effective information-seeker on the Web and in the library. The rest of time is up to us to fill with our own projects--for example, integrating personal digital systems like Palm Pilots into the library, and producing guides to finding certain library resources."

STARTING OUT: Collard says future librarians should have a good understanding of computer programs and databases. "Good people and communication skills are useful as well," he says. "It also helps to be able to organize information."

REWARDS: "You get a lot of personal satisfaction with teaching. It's also pretty fun to help someone track down information they haven't been able to find. It's like a continuing education." Even with the slowing economy, demand for librarians at both public and corporate libraries is expected to swell as about 125,000 librarians will retire in the next 12 years.

CHALLENGES: "Dealing with people who think that libraries and librarians are irrelevant is a challenge," Collard says. "But being a librarian is about finding what you are looking for and avoiding all of the incorrect information that's out there."

MORE INFO: American Library Association, www.ala.org

Heather Lindsey

PSYCHOTHERAPIST

DINA NUNZIATO

AGE: 37

LOCATION: Sleepy Hollow, NY

JOB: Psychotherapist

EDUCATION: Nunziato has a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and a master's degree in social work from New York University.

SALARY: The median annual salary is $33,571.

ON THE JOB: Working with patients for periods of six months to several years, Nunziato specializes in treating high school and college-age women with eating disorders and body image issues. After working at hospitals and outpatient clinics, she now splits her time between her own practice and Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York, where she moderates an eating disorder support group, lectures in nutrition classes, and plans healthy-lifestyle workshops.

STARTING OUT: "When I was in high school and college, I did rape crisis counseling and victim assistance," Nunziato says. However, she worked as a financial analyst before realizing she wanted to put her analytical skills to work with "people rather than numbers."

REWARDS: "I feel incredibly privileged to be able to develop relationships with patients-- they trust me with the stories of their lives, and I help them work through profound pain."

CHALLENGES: Psychotherapy is "demanding, intense, isolating" work, and running a private practice offers no paid vacations and its own financial challenges. Although she decided not to work in finance, Nunziato has to keep up with her own bookkeeping and management of expenses.

MORE INFO: American Psychological Association, www.apa.org

Jami Dittus

Learn & Earn

Here are the hourly wages and median annual earnings of various jobs in
education and social service.


HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA

Child Care Worker              $6.61 per hour
Animal Shelter Worker          $7.12 per hour
Teacher's Assistant            $7.61 per hour

BACHELOR'S DEGREE

Government Library Technician         $29,700
Special Education Teacher             $37,850
Police Detective                      $46,180

MASTER'S OR
PROFESSIONAL DEGREE

Guidance Counselor                    $38,650
FBI Agent                             $43,000
College Professor                     $46,630
U.S. Senator                         $145,100

COPYRIGHT 2002 EM Guild, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group