Social and Human Service Assistants : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Video transcript available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l95aYB7OhwI.
Quick Facts: Social and Human Service Assistants
Employment of social and human service assistants is projected to grow 13 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations. A growing elderly population and rising demand for social services are expected to drive demand for these workers. Job opportunities are expected to be good.
Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for social and human service assistants.
Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of social and human service assistants with similar occupations.
Learn more about social and human service assistants by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
What Social and Human Service Assistants Do About this section
Social and human service assistants help the elderly stay in their own homes and live under their own care whenever possible.
Social and human service assistants sometimes travel around their community to see clients.
How to Become a Social and Human Service Assistant About this section
The duties of social and human service assistants are often determined by their level of education.
Communication skills. Social and human service assistants talk with clients about the challenges in their lives and assist them in getting help. These workers must be able to listen to their clients and to communicate the clients’ needs to organizations that can help them.
Interpersonal skills. Social and human service assistants must make their clients feel comfortable discussing sensitive issues. Assistants also build relationships with other service providers to become familiar with all of the resources that are available in their communities.
Organizational skills. Social and human service assistants must often complete lots of paperwork and work with many different clients. They must be organized in order to ensure that the paperwork is filed properly and that clients are getting the help they need.
Problem-solving skills. Social and human service assistants help clients find solutions to their problems. They must be able to listen carefully to their clients’ needs and offer practical solutions.
Time-management skills. Social and human service assistants often work with many clients. They must manage their time effectively to ensure that their clients are getting the attention they need.
Employment projections data for social and human service assistants, 2018-28
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of social and human service assistants.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook , Social and Human Service Assistants,
at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/social-and-human-service-assistants.htm (visited December 09, 2021).