Social Work as a Career
Social work today has come far from the days when it used to be the prerogative of a few visionaries who 
believed they could make a difference to the way people lived, but didn't have adequate resources. With the emergence of a large number of Non-government organisations (NGOs), the sector has become much more organised than before.
To become a successful social worker you need to have genuine compassion for the underprivileged, a very real urge to help others make better lives for themselves and the capacity to work hard, and under far-from-perfect working conditions.
Most universities offer bachelor's and master's degrees in social work. An MA in social work is a post-graduate course - candidates with a sociology/social work/psychology background would get preference. Admission is through a written test and interview. The test assesses mental ability and general awareness and the interview is aimed to identify candidates with a genuine interest in social work. Institutes like the Tata Institute of Social Sciences and Delhi School of Social Work offer dynamic, job-oriented degrees in social work.
With a degree in social work, you can enter the labour and industrial relations and personnel department of Industrial and Corporate sectors. International organisations such as The United Nations sponsor projects and programmes to facilitate developing countries in their social welfare.
Social workers can specialise in: Criminology, correctional work, medical and psychiatric work in sanatoria, child guidance clinics, counselling centres, mental hospitals, medical colleges, community public health centres and so on. Community development work involves field work with community groups, government and voluntary agencies in areas related to women's and child welfare, education and literacy, poverty alleviation, rural development, family planning, awareness campaigns etc.
Source: HT Horizons (HT Horizons)
Date: 29th January, 2011
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