Study Social Work – A Promising Career in Australia

A good education is imperative for a successful career. The international education positively impacts your career as well as personal growth. The experiences you gain while studying and living in the globally diverse environment are manifold. Social Worker is one such field where a global exposure matters a lot. And the best places to get valuable and quality Social Worker Education is Australia.

Here we have highlighted various key points related to this field. You will be able to discover ample of opportunities if you are opting to gain Social Worker qualifications from Australia. Below are the pressing questions and their answers that you must be concerned about in case you are very serious about taking up this career.

1. What is Social Work?
2. Who are Social Workers and what do they do?
3. Where do Social Workers work?
4. What is the annual earning of a Social Worker?
5. Which are the Social Worker Degree Courses in Australia?
6. What is the demand of Social Workers in Australia? What are the possibilities pertaining to migration and job roles?
7. Are there possibilities for permanent residency after graduating from the related course?
8. What is the basic course entry prerequisite for this course?
9. Are you interested to start a new career? Where can you study and when can you start?

1. What is Social Work?

Social Work is an exciting career area which is very greatly related to psychology. It is work carried out with well trained professionals with the aim to reduce pain and suffering of those who are suffering from social deprivation. It is an academic and professional discipline that looks into the welfare of individuals and communities.

2. Who are Social Workers and what do they do?

The trained professionals who utilize social theories to understand human issues and help them improve their lives further improving the society as a whole are known as Social Workers. Social Workers usually specialize in helping women, children and aiding to life- threatening problems.

Social Workers:

• Behave as advocates for their clients
• Teach clients new skills
• Get their clients to link to essential resources within the community
• Protect vulnerable clients and make sure that their best interests are observed
• Counsel clients who need support and assistance
• Research social problems to look for remedies

3. Where do Social Workers work?

Most Social Workers are employed either in the social assistance sector or the healthcare sector which include psychiatric clinics, NGOs, hospitals etc.

They are also employed in government agencies at the state and local level. Their positions would include child welfare assessments, help any individual in need of public assistance and also work with individuals who come in contact with the criminal justice system.

4. What is the annual earning of a Social Worker?

An average social worker salary depends on many factors such as the speciality area, educational background etc. However, an average earning of a social worker ranges from approximately AUD 50 K to AUD 80 K per annum (the salary depends on the years of significant experience) an applicant possesses and the demand of the position in each state within Australia.

5. Which are the Social Worker Degree Courses in Australia?

Courses in the field of social work range into 2 types: –

• The undergraduate degree (Bachelor of Social Work) with no prior study. This study can take up to four years to complete.
• The postgraduate degree [Master of Social work / Master of Social Work (qualifying)]. This degree is offered for two years. Recently these courses are also offered to graduates with specialisations such as psychology, law and social science.

Due to diverse areas the specialisations are offered, social workers are able to choose to take up jobs pertaining to family or child welfare services, psychiatric services, healthcare sectors, age care sectors and the criminal law and justice sector.

AASW (Australian Association of Social Workers) is the skill assessment authority for social worker looking to apply for Australia migration visa. Therefore, students studying this course must make sure that it is accredited by AASW for their skill assessment outcome to be positive. to ensure a positive skill assessment for migration purposes.

6. What is the demand of Social Workers in Australia? What are the possibilities pertaining to migration and job roles?

Social Worker is a large occupation and has grown to a considerable extent in the last 5 years. Based on the data provided in the Occupation Ceiling, Social Workers was allocated 1562 places out of which only 72 places have been occupied. Based on this information, statistics say that approximately only 4.6% of the places were taken this year which significantly portrays the skill shortage faced. This trend would continue until more graduates take up this field to study. This field of study is not very popular among students and this information must be made aware greatly so that the skill shortage reduces considerable.

Key Salary Info:-

The state of Darwin and Western Australia have the highest demands for Social Worker.

7. Are there possibilities for permanent residency after graduating from the related course?

Certainly, as this occupation falls under the MTSSL list, studying an accredited course from a reputed university will make the student eligible to successfully get a positive Skill assessment from AASW. They can directly apply for the Permanent Residency (189) without having any Australian state or regional area sponsoring them. One needs a minimum of 60 points.

8. What is the basic course entry prerequisite for this course?

To study a Bachelor Degree, the student needs to hold a relevant high school degree with good percentage. To study Master Degree, a Bachelor degree in the following discipline (social welfare, community work, sociology, psychology, nursing, education, criminal justice, international studies, and indigenous studies) is essential. It has been seen that admission criteria can change from case to case basis. The minimum IELTS requirement for entry into the course is overall 6.5 with no less than 6.0 each or PTE equivalent. English Requirement is also subject to change based on the Universities chosen to study this course.

9. Are you interested to start a new career? Where can you study and when can you start?

Social Work courses are offered by many Australian Universities. The earliest intake is in March 2018.

In today’s world, Social Work is definitely one of the occupation rising its way through. For someone who is passionate about the working for the society, Social Worker Career is one best option. Also there are many pathways towards Australia PR.

This is the chance to pursue a noble profession. With our Education counsellors, you can get detailed information and complete guidance on selecting the suitable course. They are not only experts but experienced to provide various solutions depending upon the individual’s requirements and situations. Not just that, they will guide you with your Australia Student Visa application, too. So, just visit our office or fill out the inquiry form to get the process started. We guarantee optimum service.

You can seek guidance from our expert on our International Student Forum too.