15 months after graduating
of our social work graduates are in work or further study
of our social work graduates agree that their current activity is meaningful
of our social work graduates said their career was a formal requirement or gave them an advantage*
Studying social work at the University of Plymouth will enable you to commence a rewarding career within the health and social care sector. With an ongoing demand for social workers across the UK, employment prospects for graduates remain very good.
Social work graduates work in a variety of settings, with a diverse range of service users including adults, children, people with mental health difficulties, people with learning difficulties, young offenders, refugees and asylum seekers, carers and many others. Employers include NHS Trusts, Local Authorities, GP practices, children’s homes, private sector nursing homes as well as voluntary and independent agencies.
As your career progresses, you could develop a specialist role. Specialisms exist in a range of settings, for example in mental health, child protection, homelessness, fostering and adoption or education welfare. With experience you could progress into a leadership role; it is not uncommon to secure senior practitioner or team manager roles within 3-5 years of qualification. Alternatively, you could work as a practice educator, leading on the supervision and management of placement students or newly qualified staff.
A small number of graduates develop their career in the regulation and audit of social care providers through working for the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Other options include working in a self employed or freelancing capacity.
Researching your career options
Given the diversity of career options open to Social Work graduates, it is important to research and explore these fully so that you can make informed decisions about your future.
Employment Opportunities
Below is a snapshot of what some of University of Plymouth Social Work graduates told us they were doing 15 months after graduation.
- Assistant Manager
- Children And Family Social Worker
- Lead Mentor
- Mental Health Practitioner
- Mental Health Social Worker
- Newly Qualified Social Worker
- Pastoral Coordinator
- Refugee Case Worker
- Social Worker
Employers
Below is a snapshot of the employers that graduates told us they working for 15 months after graduation:
- Brighton And Hove City Council
- Connect Cornwall
- Cornwall Council
- Cornwall Council, Social Services
- Devon County Council
- Devon Partnership NHS Trust
- Highgate Hill School
- ICS Raleigh International
- Livewell Southwest
- North Somerset Council
- Nottinghamshire County Council
- Plymouth City Council
- Somerset County Council
- Students And Refugees Together
- Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust
- Torbay Council
*Data is from the Graduate Outcomes Surveys of 2017/18 and 2018/19. Graduates were surveyed 15 months after graduating. Data displayed is for 18 UK-domiciled, first degree, full-time graduates who are working, studying or looking for work.