Blog Post

BLOG POST

Employability: A recent survey on “My Australian Social Work Graduate Attributes” shows that more than 94% of our MSW(Q) students (54.9% Strongly Agree, 39.2% Agree) feel confident about their ability to demonstrate effective communication and interpersonal skills. Six in ten (62.7%) said they are very good at working with diversity, while only 19.6% believed that they have a high level of ability to apply social work knowledge and interventions to respond effectively in meeting the needs of individuals, groups and communities. This is a bit concerning as almost one in ten also do not feel ready to start your social work career yet. It is time for you to think seriously about both yoursocial work skills and ‘soft skills’ (employability skills) in a more critical but positive manner. Work through the steps below:

1. Write your blog entry about:

A.  1.(150 words) Reflecting on what you have learned during your study course, identify the strengths and opportunities that you believe you have developed until now. Where do you think your strengths and opportunities come from and how have you gained them over the last years?

I have been a youth worker in out of home care for over 5 years my strengths lie in my communication with others and I am a strong advocate for what’s right not just what the organisation wants YW to do. Self determination and listening to what has worked or failed for clients and adjusting to their individual needs, using a strength based approach in practice has been developed over the years through trial, error and actually applying practices within my youth worker role.

2.  How are your current skills, knowledge and values different from those attributes that you had when you started this social work training ? What is the signature with which you can identify yourself as a professional social worker (for example, an empathetic justice worker, a culture change agent         ) and why? My signature is an empathetic social worker and strong advocate.

B. (100 words) Using the “Australian Social Work Graduate Attributes”, https://www.aasw.asn.au/document/item/6073 critically identify two or three areas which you believe are required for you to improve further. How do you want to develop such skills and increase your confidence before you apply for a social work position? What strategies do you think will work better for you and your peers who are in a similar situation particularly in this ‘living with Covid’ environment?

https://www.aasw.asn.au/document/item/6073

The ASWEAS profession-specific Graduate Attributes (presented in full in Appendix 1)are itemised under the eight Domains of Practice specified in the AASW Practice Standards (2013):

ü  values and ethics

ü  professionalism

ü  culturally responsive and inclusive practice

ü  knowledge for practice

ü  applying knowledge to practice

ü  communication and interpersonal skills

ü  information recording and sharing

ü  professional development and supervision .

The Graduate Attributes specify entry level expectations of social workers against the Practice Standards listed under each of the Domain headings . Assessment of student performance against these eight Domains is central to ensuring that professional learning outcomes have been met and that graduating students are equipped to practise ethically and safely as beginner practitioners .

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