A Case Study on Competency of Professional Social Work Students in Social Work Education, Research and Training

Abstract

Before a decade it was very difficult to get an employment when a student who completed his/her PG in Social Work. But at present there are number of opportunities in the field of Social Work. At present there are a plenty of employer like National Health Mission, Kerala Social Security Mission, Social Justice Department, CSR Departments, School Counseling, Multi-National Companies, Medical and Psychiatric Social Work Departments are ready to give job for Social Work Professionals. From the beginning the employment for minimum for one year. Later it shrinks to 3 months and 6 months. Now and then there were a few employer provides job for minimum one year.  The employer decided to take such a decision because of the level of performance appraisal. Here the employer undergoing an assessment in various aspects depending up on the nature of job. The criteria includes Administration Skills, Skills in Documentation, Task Completion, Publication, communication, decision making, understand the individual difference, problem solving and case management etc. The final result is not fair but has to be disclosed. The major reasons are No Effective Aptitude Test, Students are opting their specialization not based on their personal capacity or personal wish it is based on the interest of facilitator and the demand of market / job opportunities the students are only concentrating to complete their course, The facilitators are guest faculties and not much firm in some of the aspects such as submission of research and Field Work Report, failure in Selection of Training and Placement Agency, No trainers in the Placement Agency, sympathetic approach towards the students etc. To protect the dignity of social work profession, this is the right time to develop the skills of the students. Every institution has to awake and to provide training centered education to the professional social work students.

Keywords: Competency, employer, appraisal, Administration, Placement