One of the helping professions, Human Services prepares
graduates to work in a variety of service delivery agencies. Students receive instruction
in the social and psychological influences of human behavior.
Students can choose from a variety of
electives that offer additional training for their particular area of interest. Graduates
are prepared to work as entry level professionals in many different helping fields
including the fields of mental retardation, mental health, addictions, aging, recreation,
case management, and abuse.
Field placement provides the opportunity for
second year students to work at agencies and practice their learned skills as change
agents while under the supervision of professionals employed in the field.
Duties
Workers in this field may be required to:
teach daily living tasks to
institutionalized clients
assist in facilitating group treatment
assist in interventions with individuals
plan and conduct activities
make home visits
complete client assessments
Working Conditions
Workers in this field commonly experience:
work in inside / clean / fairly quiet
work in an office environment
work in institutions (psychiatric hospital,
residential homes for special needs children and adults, nursing homes, schools)
work under little direct supervision
often make home visits
Physical Demands
mildly active (some walking, standing)
fairly active (working with children:
kneeling, crouching, sitting on floor)
light lifting (up to 20 lbs.)
Characteristics & Temperament
Workers in this field should have:
excellent written and oral communication
skills
ability to deal cooperatively with people
from various backgrounds
ability to deal well with people of varying
age and ability levels
patience/tolerance/understanding/compassion
ability to be non-judgmental
ability to maintain composure
ability to problem solve
excellent social skills (interact with
others)
flexibility (ability to change form one task
to another without losing composure or effectiveness)
self-discipline / self-motivation
willingness to learn
ability to follow directions
ability to make generalizations, evaluations
and mature decisions
Employment Outlook
Workers in this field can expect the following developments:
salary average:
$17,148 for 2002-2007 graduates
salary range:
$11,000-33,000 per year for 2002-2007 graduates
78% placement rate
for 2002-2007 graduates
some entry level positions: mental
retardation specialist, mental health technician, chemical dependency technician, activity
director - gerontology, pre-school teacher, teacher's aide, day care worker, resident care
aid, case manager, youth counselor, activities coordinator,
medication technician, residential assistant
good opportunity for advancement within an
organization as additional credentialing is obtained
Employers
Recent graduates have found work at:
Program & Course Information
For information about Piedmont Technical College's programs and courses offered in
this area, visit the Human Services Program's Web page.
Career Tracks is
a publication of Piedmont Technical College that reflects the current career statistics
for students who have completed programs of the college. Forward your questions
about this site to Andy Omundson at (864) 941-8376 or by e-mail to
omundson.a@ptc.edu.
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