Building a successful career in social work: issues, prospects, and challenges

Abstract

A career is an individual professional journey, achieved especially through such aspects as learning, mentoring and work experience, which is  usually preceded by special training. Mentoring is an important component for all professions including social work. However, in Africa, social workers do not have many opportunities for mentoring. This is because the system to provide mentoring is not so developed. Mentoring provides upcoming social workers with direction but also builds their confidence by learning, listening to or observing experienced social workers. In this paper, the author, a Professor of Social Work, uses his experience as a social worker for many years to tackle the issue of career building for social workers. The paper examines issues, prospects and challenges based on a presentation the author made at a graduation ceremony at the University of Lisbon, in Portugal.

Key Terms: career, social work, mentoring, challenges, Africa