Human Services Education in Florida
With its huge cities of Miami and Orlando, Florida has a population that creates plenty of opportunities for the well-educated human services worker. Florida also has unique demographics that create tremendous opportunities for Gerontology specialty human services workers in particular. Much of the East Coast looks to retire in Florida and as such there are plenty of elders in need of specialized Gerontology care. Florida also has need of human services workers who speak Spanish, as it has a large population of Cuban and other Caribbean immigrants. It is wise for a prospective human services worker in Florida to learn Spanish during their educational journey.
Deciding on one’s career is a very important life decision, and one that deserves careful study and research. You have at your fingertips a fantastic resource to help you make this decision. With our database of career overviews that include average pay, educational and licensure requirements, you can use this website to help you clarify your career goals.
Sponsored School(s)
Once you have earned a Bachelor’s degree from a Florida university or college Human Services program, you can qualify to apply for one of the following positions in Florida:
- Community Outreach Worker (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
- Here is an excellent resource from the Department of Education on community outreach
- Behavioral Management Aide (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
- Here is a listing for a Behavioral Management Aide in an Adult Psychology contex at MyFloridat:
- Probation Officer and Juvenile Court Liaison (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology or Criminal Justice)
The number one employer for both of these career tracks is the Department of Corrections (http://www.dc.state.fl.us/) - Case Management Aide and Rehabilitation Case Worker (Bachelor of Social Work, Sociology, Psychology)
- Both of these careers will find the Department of Children and Families to be an excellent resource and also an agency that provides many job opportunities.
- Florida Substance Abuse Counselor (Bachelor of Sociology, Social Work or Psychology)
- You can learn about addiction counseling in Florida here:
Once you have finished your program and been awarded a Master’s degree from a Florida college or university human services program, you will be able to start your job in a human services career of your choosing::
- Social and Community Service Manager (Masters in Business Administration, Social Work, Psychology or Sociology)
- Child Welfare Case Manager (Masters in Business Administration, Social Work, Psychology or Sociology)
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (Master of Social Work from a CSWE accredited school + field experience) You can find information about licensure in Florida here🙂
- Marriage and Family Therapist (Master’s in Counseling, Psychology or Marriage and Family Therapy)
Some people will want to take their education to the limit and earn a doctorate in their field of study. For those who earn a Ph.D., the career options are limitless within their field. You can go directly into a management or director position within a Human Services agency. You could choose to open your own private practice in mental health once you have attained licensure. You could also choose to lead a research team in a clinical setting. You could even pursue a career in academia where you will be able to teach a whole new generation of students in your discipline. Once you have your doctorate your options are wide open.
So what is the first step to take on your academic journey? Deciding on a career and learning the educational and licensure requirements should be where you start. You can begin with studying our database of career overviews. By reading them you will understand what careers are out there in your field, what their basic function is and what the requirements are to begin work. The next step is to find an accredited school. This can be either online or one based in Florida. Our database of schools can help you make this decision. In most cases, schools will require that you apply a few months in advance of your beginning their program. This is even more common with graduate and doctoral programs. It is always a good idea to get in touch with your school’s registrar directly and determine what the specific application requirements are for your school. It is also a good idea to consider what post-graduate field experience requirements are involved in any licensure your career may require.