Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Explicitly federal government social workers make more than engineers. Private sector stinks.
Where in the world did you get that idea? Fed engineers don't even make engineer salaries, esp when just out of school. Whoever is giving you career counseling, you need to find someone else.
and I hear they make about what engineers make, anyway.
Um...no, sorry.
Java is still in very high demand. But once you learn one you can self teach others. I would go for a web developer program at a local community college. It would be cheap and HTML5, CSS and Javascript are really really easy to learn. But you need to be creative to be a good web developer so you should ask yourself if you have the right intrinsic tools for the job.
LCSW GS-12 positions are either managerial positions (supervising at least 3 subordinates) or positions that deal with "complex problems, organization of community services on behalf of beneficiaries", etc etc.
Github, github, github. If an employer likes what they see on your github ( contribution to projects as well as your own projects) they don't care what degree you have.
Counseling, to me, doesn't seem like a field you should go into on the basis of someone else telling you to. That's pretty draining work, if it's not your thing (and it can still be emotionally draining, even if it is your passion!).
Programming and counseling are pretty disparate fields, too--what's driving you to programming, in particular? The field's flexibility in terms of self-study, or because you like the concept? Programming is very amenable to self-study (I have a psych degree and switched over), but I also think it's one of things you have to really like. The poster above mentioned github--having projects to put on github requires you to like it enough that it's not just a 9-5, "got the bare minimum done" sort of thing.
Rather what you don't like about your current job, what aspects of your job (or things you've studied) do you really, truly enjoy?
LCSW is GS12, and you get locality pay. Lowest is Rest of US
You don't walk into a GS12. You start at GS5-7. Perhaps 9 with an advanced degree. Then after years and several promotions, you finally make GS12. Then years more to step 10. That's assuming you get hired in the first place. Competition is fierce just to get in. Someone has really been giving you some bad information. Assuming you do get in, it won't be puppies and roses. You'll have a case load greater than the hours in the day, and you'll be dealing with the worst in society. You're emotions will take a beat down every day. If that's something you truly love, then do it. But if you're only picking it because someone told you they make as much as engineers, well, you'll learn.
If you really want to go back to school in a somewhat social work type position, then look into becoming a special ed teacher. You'll have more job opportunities than as a social worker.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
