Career Pathways

Career opportunities

Graduates of the Langara Social Service Worker Program have an excellent track record in gaining employment in the fields of work that interest them. Graduates are prepared for entry level employment in a variety of social service and health-related agencies While some students may choose to continue with their education, many find immediate work at the entry level in a whole range of social and health services. The social service sector is dynamic and always evolving. Once graduates have found employment in an organization, many find that the development of new programs, staff turnover and changes in current funding priorities provide opportunities for advancement. Many graduates of the program who are considering continuing their education find that their Certificate or Coordinated Diploma opens doors to employment and helps them to gain important experience. It also helps them to fund future educational opportunities.

Graduates are hired by agencies serving children and youth, programs for women, schools, Neighbourhood Houses and family serving organizations. They also find work in programs for persons with disabilities, advocacy programs, shelters for persons with mental health and substance abuse issues, seniors' programs, immigrant-serving agencies and programs for Aboriginal and First Nations Peoples.

Transferability

All support courses are transferable to post-secondary institutions in BC. Institutions granting the Bachelor of Social Work degree offer some transfer credit for the core Social Service Worker courses. Students who successfully complete the Certificate Program will have transfer credit for Social Work 200A and 200B and/or for Social Work 200 and 201 (the numbering of these courses varies at the different universities). These courses are requirements for admission to Bachelor of Social Work programs at the universities offering BSW degrees.

A number of students who graduate from the SSW Program are choosing to enter Bachelor of Child and Youth Care degree programs. Many of these programs offer very generous transfer credit for the core program courses in addition to the support course transfer credit.

Please check the BCCAT website at www.bctransferguide.ca for further information.

If you are not enrolled in the SSW Program but are interested in learning about Canadian Social Welfare and Social Work, consider taking SSRV 2000 and 2001. Both of these are university transferable courses open to all students.

SSRV 2000: Introduction to Social Welfare in Canada
SSRV 2000 is a University Transfer course that is open to all students. It is also one of two required courses for students wishing to enter a Bachelor of Social Work program.

SSRV 2001: Introduction to Social Work Practice
SSRV 2001 is a university transfer course that is open to all students. It is also the second of two required courses for students wishing to enter a Bachelor of Social Work program (the other course is Langara SSRV 2000).