Personal Career Exploration

Childcare Worker

Jaelynne Stiles
 Nature of Work
Child care workers nurture, teach, and care for children who have not yet entered
kindergarten. They also supervise older children before and after school. These workers play
an important role in children's development by caring for them when their parents are at
work or are away for other reasons or when the parents place their children in care to help
them socialize with children their age. In addition to attending to children's health, safety,
and nutrition, child care workers organize activities and implement curricula that stimulate
children's physical, emotional, intellectual, and social growth. They help children explore
individual interests, develop talents and independence, build self-esteem, learn how to get
along with others, and prepare for more formal schooling.

Child care workers generally are classified into three different groups based on where they
work: private household workers, who care for children at the children's homes;
family child care providers, who care for children in the provider's' homes; and child care
workers who work at child care centers, which include Head Start, Early Head Start, full-day
and part-day preschool, and other early childhood programs.
Education and Training
Many child care worker positions require a minimum
of a high school diploma.
Some child care centers require workers to have
training in early childhood education.
States may require childcare workers to complete
formal training in child development to work in a
licensed facility.
Other Qualifications Necessary

Must be licensed, to qualify for licenses, must pass a

background check, must have a complete record of
immunizations and must meet a minimum training
requirement.
Some states require the worker(s) to be certified in
CPR and first aid.
 Job Outlook and Future
Prospects
Employment of child care workers is projected to grow 5 percent from
2014 to 2024, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Job
opportunities for childcare workers are expected to be favorable.
 Potential Earnings Now and in
Future

The median hourly wage Childcare Workers earn a

median hourly wage of $9.77, and 20,320 per year.
Over the next 10 years, the Childcare Workers salary
will increase by 5.5%.
 Related Occupations
1.Kindergarten and Elementary School Teacher

2.) Preschool and Childcare Center Directors

3.) Special Education Teacher

Occupational Therapist
 Nature of Work
To help people improve their ability to perform tasks in their daily
living and working environments.

They work with individuals who have conditions that are mentally,
physically, developmentally, or emotionally disabling.
Education and Training
A bachelors degree in occupational therapy is the
minimum requirement for entry into the field.
Beginning in 2007, however, a masters degree or
higher will be the minimum educational requirement.
 Other Qualifications
Necessary
Occupational therapy coursework includes the physical, biological, and behavioral
sciences and the application of occupational therapy theory and skills. The
completion of 6 months of supervised fieldwork also is required.
Persons considering this profession should take high school courses in biology,
chemistry, physics, health, art, and the social sciences. College admissions offices
also look favorably at paid or volunteer experience in the healthcare field. Relevant
undergraduate majors include biology, psychology, sociology, anthropology, liberal
arts, and anatomy.
Occupational therapists need patience and strong interpersonal skills to inspire
trust and respect in their clients. Patience is necessary because many clients may
not show rapid improvement. Ingenuity and imagination in adapting activities to
individual needs are assets. Those working in home health care services must be
able to adapt to a variety of settings.
 Job Outlook and Future
Prospects
Over the long run, the demand for occupational therapists should continue to
rise as a result of growth in the number of individuals with disabilities or limited
function who require therapy services. The baby-boom generations movement
into middle age, a period when the incidence of heart attack and stroke
increases, will spur demand for therapeutic services. Growth in the population
75 years and olderan age group that suffers from high incidences of disabling
conditionsalso will increase demand for therapeutic services. Driver
rehabilitation and fall-prevention training for the elderly are emerging practice
areas for occupational therapy. In addition, medical advances now enable more
patients with critical problems to survivepatients who ultimately may need
extensive therapy.
 Potential Earnings now and in
Future
Median annual earnings of occupational therapists were $54,660 in
May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $45,690 and
$67,010. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $37,430, and the
highest 10 percent earned more than $81,600. Median annual
earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of
occupational therapists in May 2004 were: Home health care services,
$58,720; Offices of other health practitioners, $56,620; Nursing care
facilities, $56,570; General medical and surgical hospitals, $55,710;
Elementary and secondary schools, $48,580.
 Related Occupations
1. Physical Therapists

2. Athletic Trainers

3. Exercise Physiologists
 Citation Page
http://www.healthcarejobs.org/occupational_therapist.htm#Nature_of_
Work

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1
NDCM_enUS736US736&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=related+jobs+to+oc
cupational+therapy&*
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/childcare-workers.
htm