What is job satisfaction? The traditional view has always been that if you earn enough money or are given enough status in your job then it is ‘rewarding’. There is evidence, however, that the worker of the future has a much more rounded view of what aspects of working life offer real job satisfaction.

Recent research shows that 70% of graduates want a job in which they can achieve something for society and almost three quarters will only work for an employer with a good ethical record. How has this trend developed?

“Thanks to the global media, we are increasingly aware of the impact our actions have on other people and the environment”, says Gideon Burrows, Editor of the Ethical Careers Guide.

“This could be the reason that people are starting to prioritise giving something back to society in their job. From poverty to global warming, the media continually inform us about the challenges facing society and this persuades many people that at least part of their job should be focused on addressing those challenges.”

One of the main beneficiaries of this trend towards ethical careers is the social work profession. Social workers help people identify, tackle and find solutions to the problems they face on a daily basis. It is a challenging but very rewarding career where you can make a positive difference to people’s lives. Social workers help groups including adultswith mental health problems, learning disabilities or children struggling in the face of deprivation or abusive behaviour. They work closely with the police, NHS, schools and the probation service.

One of the reasons people have been put off social work in the past is to do with image. Social workers only tend to make the news when mistakes are made, so negative misconceptions about the job have built up. Thanks to a long-running Department of Health (DH) recruitment campaign, however, the image of social work has been modernised and there has been a recent rise both in social workers employed in England and students registering on social work training courses.

Litisha Williams is a student on the social work degree course at the University of Central England - she is one of the faces of a new phase of the DH recruitment campaign that is highlighting the wide range of people in social work and their motivations for entering the profession.

Litisha says, “I wanted to work with children from disadvantaged backgrounds, help make a difference to society and give something back to my local community. I also wanted to go to work and feel proud about what I do. Social work is such a unique and broad profession - you’re not restricted to one career pathway, and the best thing is that every day is different.”

To become a social worker you need to complete the social work degree. The degree is open to people at all points in their life including school leavers, 18-21 year olds, graduates, career changers and those with overseas qualifications. All universities will expect applicants to have a certain amount of relevant experience, such as voluntary work, to demonstrate interest and commitment to social work as a career. The degree allows students to apply social work theory to real-life situations by including a minimum of 200 days of work placements.

Sold on a career in social work? For more information about social work courses and careers log onto:
socialworkandcare.co.uk or call 0845 604 6404.