“A Six-City Survey of Nonprofit Executives” was conducted for American Humanics by D. Bonnet Associates. This 1996 survey of Atlanta agencies reported total employment of over 2,000. In the previous year they hired 175 "entry-level professional positions that did not require a graduate degree." The surveyed executives preferred the bachelor’s degree for 72% of their jobs and actually hired at the B.S. level 78% of the time. One-third of the actual hires held the B.S.W., and the remainder of the degrees was in human-services-related fields, including psychology. D. Bonnet Associates also found that entry-level professional jobs are more likely to involve supervisory and administrative responsibilities in Atlanta than elsewhere. To fulfill this need, Clayton State University’s major in Psychology and Human Services incorporates an administrative component.
All indications are that human services job opportunities are growing rapidly and that educational requirements are increasing. Clayton State University’s program is designed to capitalize on both of these trends. Georgia Occupational Trends in Brief: Projections to 2006 (Atlanta: Georgia Dept. of Labor, Michael L. Thurmond, Commissioner, 2000) lists Social Workers as one of the “Hot Occupations that Generally Require a Bachelor’s Degree.” (p. 10). This specifically applies to the Clayton State University proposal, since in aggregate occupational statistics the term “social worker” is not confined to the narrow professional definition but rather includes a wide range of human and social services employees. In addition, the booklet lists several other “hot” entry-level positions that career-focused Psychology and Human Services majors could pursue depending on the curricular options and electives they choose: such as personnel recruiter, loan officer/counselor, writer/editor, public relations, employment interviewers, and religious activities directors. (Source: comparing Georgia “Hot Occupation” list with career option list prepared by Psi Chi National Honor Society in Psychology in conjunction with the Council of Undergraduate Psychology Departments.) Clayton State University graduates who choose to pursue the masters degree could qualify for two of the master-level occupations identified as “hot” by the Georgia DOL, including social workers (medical/psychological) and Vocational Counselor (p. 8).
Clayton State University Survey. A survey to gauge need for this program was sent in October 1999, to human service/social service organizations in the greater Atlanta and Southern Crescent region. Response was received from twenty agencies/organizations, and they were overwhelmingly positive about the need for baccalaureate graduates and the advisability of Clayton State University offering this major.
Other Survey results:
11 of 20 stated that a four -year- degree was required for entry level positions at their agency. The other nine indicated that a four -year -degree was preferred.
16 of 20 agreed that there was a shortage of qualified applicants in the area
17 of 20 agreed that in the next decade more human service agencies will require applicants to have four-year degrees.
20 of 20 affirmed that in the coming decade it will be important for human service agency personnel to be computer literate.
14 of 20 affirmed that a four year degree is required for administrative level positions at human service agencies. The remaining 6 noted a four year degree is preferred.
14 of 20 stated that there is a very strong need for a Psychology and Human Services program at Clayton State University. 6 stated somewhat of a need.
18 of 20 would participate as a part of the community advisory committee.
Nationally, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook (BLS), there will be a 53.9% increase in the number of human service workers between 1996 and 2006. Social services employment opportunities as a whole will increase by 62.3% or over 65,000 jobs. As reported in the U.S. Job Projections, November 1997 Monthly Labor Review, there will be a 50% increase nationally in individual and miscellaneous social services of over 420,000 new jobs. This will make it 8th in rank of the top ten industries with the fastest employment growth in the 1996-2006 decade. Health services, social services, and engineering, management, and related services are expected to account for almost one of every two wage and salary worker jobs added to the economy during the 1996-2006 period on the national employment market. In short, as a pamphlet from the National Organization for Human Service Education (NOHSE) recently explained, “Employment of human services workers is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2000. Opportunities for qualified applicants are expected to be excellent. . . . Employment prospects should be favorable in facilities and programs that serve the elderly, mentally impaired, or developmentally disabled.”
Ironically, there may actually be an educational "squeeze" emerging in which applicants with only a high school diploma are unqualified and Ph.D.s are overqualified. In this environment, California State University at Dominguez Hills reports outstanding opportunities for bachelor’s degree graduates with human services and psychology majors: “One conclusion may be that efforts to control costs will lead to a tendency to hire lower paid, less trained bachelor’s level and master’s level human services workers and counselors over higher paid doctoral level people . . . .The advantage of the Psychology and Human Services majors is that they prepare students for many possibilities so that they can respond to changes in the economy, the health care system, and other variables. Both offer a sound grounding in thinking about human problems and how to solve them. Critical thinking, people skills, problem solving, and flexibility will definitely be needed in the future.” (Psychology and Human Services are two separate majors at CSU-DH.)
The trend toward increasing educational standards in the field is observed by Ed Neukrug, author of the text Theory, Practice, and Trends in Human Services: “In the 21st Century, human services professionals will have to have a minimum of an associate’s degree, with many employers requiring a bachelor’s degree or even a master’s degree. Increasingly, some kind of on the job experience and/or internship will be required for employment. Advancement in the field will likely require the minimum of a bachelor’s degree.” The NOHSE explains, “Programs at this level [bachelor’s] not only prepare the direct service worker but also introduce the student to program management and coordination and to supervisory skills.”