Related stories:
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Advertising feature
One of the Shoalhaven’s newest academics, Associate Professor of Social Work Peter Camilleri, encouraged students deciding on future directions to consider whether their passions lay in the sector.
Particularly now as a four year Bachelor of Social Work degree is offered through the local campus as well as at Wollongong.
He said there was a need for social workers in the region and indeed across the country, as well as a great many job possibilities for a qualified person.
Social work was often a career with longevity, he said, however practitioners often had the opportunity to pursue a number of different roles within that career.
Social workers can find jobs in hospitals, government agencies, aged care facilities, child protection, disability services and more.
“It’s a strong value-based career,” he said. “Someone with an interest in social justice and being involved in the community would make an excellent candidate. The ability to engage with people – social workers have to be able to talk and engage with people.”
He cautioned it was a challenging career, often requiring work with damaged people, so it was important to also be resilient.
“I think for those studying in years 11 and 12, subjects like social science, legal studies, sociology and psychology would be helpful,” Associate Professor Camilleri said.
“A number of schools also offer VET (Vocational Education Training) programs in the community.”
The ATAR requirement was reasonably high for social work, however there are alternative paths, including a Diploma of Community Services at TAFE.
In partnership with TAFE the university could offer 12 months of credit towards a bachelor degree.
He said presently classes were small at Shoalhaven Campus, with a mix of mature age students and recent high school graduates.
The degree includes two practical components – 14 week blocks totalling around 1000 hours to be completed in the third and fourth years.
To find out more about a career in social work speak to the relevant stall holders at the careers expo or contact the university.