Month: February 2024

Finding Purpose and Making a Difference: A look at Careers in Human Services

Finding Purpose and Making a Difference: A Look at Careers in Human Services

by dream2career, posted in Job Openings, Naturalists

The desire to help others and contribute to a better world is a powerful motivator. If this resonates with you, a career in human services could be a fulfilling path. This broad field encompasses various professions dedicated to supporting individuals, families, and communities facing diverse challenges. Whether it’s providing emotional support, advocating for change, or empowering individuals to reach their full potential, human services careers offer an opportunity to make a tangible impact on the lives of others.

The vastness of the field itself is a testament to the diverse needs it addresses. From social workers and counselors providing mental health support to community outreach workers tackling issues like poverty and homelessness, the common thread is the dedication to serving and empowering individuals and communities.

Addressing Growing Needs and Diverse Populations:

The need for human services professionals is projected to grow significantly in the coming years. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, social work occupations are expected to see a growth of 12% between 2022 and 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations [1]. This growth is attributed to factors like an aging population, increasing awareness of mental health issues, and the rising demand for support services amongst diverse populations.

Diversity and inclusion are crucial aspects of human services. Culturally competent professionals are vital in addressing the unique needs and experiences of different communities. Whether it’s working with individuals experiencing language barriers, immigrants navigating new environments, or LGBTQ+ communities facing discrimination, human services professionals play a critical role in promoting equity and ensuring everyone receives the support they need.

Beyond Traditional Roles: A Spectrum of Opportunities:

While social work and counseling might be the first professions that come to mind, the human services field offers a much wider range of opportunities. Here’s a glimpse into some diverse roles:

  • Community Health Workers: These professionals bridge the gap between healthcare and underserved communities, providing education, outreach, and support [2].
  • Substance Abuse Counselors: They assist individuals struggling with addiction by providing counseling, support groups, and referrals to treatment programs [3].
  • Child Advocates: These individuals champion the well-being of children in various settings, ensuring their safety and advocating for their rights [4].
  • Family Support Specialists: They work with families facing challenges, offering guidance, resources, and support to strengthen family dynamics and stability [5].

Rewarding Challenges and Making a Difference:

A career in human services is not without its challenges. Professionals often encounter individuals facing complex and difficult situations. However, the satisfaction of witnessing positive change and making a real difference in someone’s life is a powerful motivator.

The human services field also plays a crucial role in addressing societal issues like mental health, poverty, and addiction. According to a 2023 New York Times article, “the number of people who died by suicide in the United States increased by 3% from 2019 to 2021, to 45,967” [6]. By providing essential support and resources, human services professionals can contribute to prevention efforts and offer hope to individuals struggling with these issues.

Finding Your Path in Human Services:

If you’re passionate about helping others and making a positive impact, a career in human services is worth exploring, get involved. Reach out to organizations and ask to volunteer. Research different specializations within the field, consider volunteer opportunities, and connect with professionals to gain insights. Remember, the journey starts with a desire to help, and the opportunities within human services offer endless possibilities to put that passion into action. Human Services organizations can post entry-level jobs with Dream2Career, contact us for more information.

References:

[1] Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, https://www.bls.gov/ [2] National Community Health Workers Association, https://nachw.org/ [3] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, https://www.samhsa.gov/ [4] National Child Advocate Training Institute, https://www.nationalcac.org/online-training-catalog/ [5] National Association for Family Support Professionals, https://institutefsp.org/usercertificationexampage [6] The New York Times, “Number of U.S. Suicides Increased in 2021, C.D.C. Says,” August 8, 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/11/health/suicide-rates-cdc.html

No One is Qualified to Perform Their Job

by dream2career, posted in HR Professionals, Solving the Work-Learn Problem, Workforce Development

We need to accept the fact that no one is qualified to be doing their job. We just experienced the great resignation. That means company knowledge has been drained from every company and the few knowledgeable workers you have left are contemplating leaving because you pile more work onto their very capable hands to make up for short falls in others throughout your team. According to a 2023 Gallup Poll 60% of people are emotionally detached at work and 19% are miserable.­­­­

A more alarming trend is that we’ve turned our back on traditional forms of education for fast and dirty online learning platforms with the hope that these quick fixes will be able to get your organization staffed and ready to meet your ever-growing production goals. Most of these degree mills don’t teach anything and your employees are going through the motions with their learning just like they do on the job. They earn meaningless credentials and they keep searching for work that inspires them when in fact they have no idea who they are or what they want out of their life.

The only solution is to go back to the basics and begin to trust in traditional non-profit learning institutions that offer face-to-face learning and that teach liberal arts education. These non-profit institutions focus on individualized education first. This kind of immersive learning environment provides students with the opportunity to try concepts and careers on. It helps them to understand problems from different perspectives.  Liberal arts learning teaches future employees how to work, communicate, be creative, and see beauty in the world, which inspires the concept of personal and professional growth. Non-profit schools teach your future employees critical thinking, the idea that learning is living, and that finding the answer often takes more than just checking the right box.  A person who has created the habit of learning is much more valuable than someone who doesn’t have an interest in doing anything for your organization except collecting a paycheck.

Online learning has created a world where people feel entitled and want a fast track to career success. All these programs do is create employees who never had to work for anything because now they have ChatGPT. Their learning is transactional and so is their life. You will never be able to teach them to work hard or achieve anything because they don’t know the meaning of hard work because they were never challenged. If someone tries to challenge them they will quit, call mom, start bullying, or throw a temper tantrum. These are our “qualified employees” who we are forced to hire because they are the only candidates with the “credentials”. This dysfunctional hiring practice is only going to get worse as more non-profits go out of business. Our workforce is unqualified and these workers do not know how to work as a team, or support others, or to believe in anything. The only people they’ve ever engaged with are one dimensional and very likely over-animated because otherwise they will not be significant enough to keep the employee’s attention for longer than five minutes.

Businesses should consider using local education providers to up-skill their workforce and to stop trying to catch lightning in a bottle with online programs that promise the world and deliver candidates that have the credentials but none of the skills your company actually needs to be successful. There is a human aspect to learning that has been lost and online learning has morally bankrupt our communities.

Businesses that want to learn more about how to use local, traditional, education programs as a strategic advantage to attract, retain, and inspire the best workforce, are welcome to contact Dream2Career.  The solutions we provide are low cost and, in some cases, can be implemented for free through tax incentives. Businesses report up to a 125% ROI when using education-based talent solutions as an employee benefit. It’s time to start building the strong, educated, human, workforce of tomorrow because the unqualified workforce of today will never provide the answer.