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How to become a Social Worker?

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Talent.com talent.com
Answered February 26 2021
Career Expert at Talent.com
In the United States all Social Workers must hold either a bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work as well as a professional certification. Social Workers can specialize in a number of different fields that will range from social housing to correctional facilities.  
  
The first step to become a Social Worker is to complete a bachelor’s degree in social work. The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) in the United States is a regulatory board that accredits degrees across the world. Most Social Workers will hold a degree in social work; however, it is still possible to become a Social Worker with a different degree in some jurisdictions. For example, an individual with a degree in psychology may decide that they want to pursue a career as a Social Worker, and in this case they can still be eligible. You can compare the licensing requirements here. During bachelor’s degree studies, many aspiring Social Workers will decide on the area they what to specialize in.  
  
Once educated Social Workers will need to become licensed. Most states require a certain amount of supervised experience after their degree however this varies, for example in Alaska you do not need any hours, but in Alabama you need 96 hours. 
  
After gaining the right education and experience Social Workers can advance their studies and training with a master’s degree in social work.  

Things to know before becoming a ­ Social Worker 
  • Social Work can be a very rewarding career; however it can also be very emotionally triggering. As a Social Worker your role is to help people who are in bad situations and this can mean being involved with cases that can be traumatizing. 
  • Social Workers can develop their career in many different ways that can include working as researchers, therapists, supervisors and more. There is a lot of specialization in the field of Social Work but also a lot of opportunity to expand your career. 
  • Social Workers must be patient and aware that they won’t always be able to fix everything. It is important that as a Social Worker you can separate your work from your life. 
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