Associate degree in social work
One should be known to the fact that he or she cannot work as a social worker after obtaining an Associate degree in Social work. He or she must hold a bachelor’s degree in social work before becoming eligible to work as a social worker. Hence, many people go ahead to pursue the bachelor’s degree or the masters degree if they aim to become a social worker.
In the meanwhile, let us see as to what are the other options in the available with an individual who has just obtained the associates degree in social work. These individuals are provided with the opportunity for positions at the entry levels in human services. This means that they are capable enough to either become an assistant to a social worker or become a residential counselor. Let us discuss these various job opportunities and the role of the associate degree holder in detail below.
A holder of an Associate degree in Social work can become a residential counselor. This means that they are capable enough to provide direct care and assist his or her clients with respect to their daily activities, tracking their daily performance and progress and supervise recreational trips. The clients here referred to are usually disabled people or mentally ill individuals.
Another opportunity available with the Associate degree in Social work holder is to become a social service assistant. A social service assistant works together with the social workers and assist them in a range of duties. These assistants can also work with nurses or psychologists. These assistants have the responsibility of helping in taking direct care of the patient, maintain the records of the patient, greet the clients, provide referrals wherever and whenever required and also perform other administrative tasks.
Beside the above opportunities, the holder of Associate degree in Social work can also become a preschool teacher. In this field, the individual is responsible to educate small children up to the age of five while the guardians of the children are at work. Therefore, these preschool teachers create lessons for the children for basic reading, writing, math as well as science. They also prepare and provide healthy and nutritious meals and monitor the children closely for any warning signs with respect to any mental problem or development problem.
Further, the associate degree holder in human science can also become a case manager assistant. The case manager assistant is responsible for obtaining services for the patient of the case manager and monitors their progress with respect to the treatment. Despite the above opportunities available to the associate degree holder, it is advisable for them to pursue a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree and build a stronger career.
An individual is always free to gain some practical knowledge after the associate degree and then pursue the higher studies. In such a situation, they can take credit hours for the work and course already done as permissible in the curriculum.