Choosing a university course is like choosing a new pair of shoes. We all pick something that we convince ourselves is utterly perfect, before finding something else that catches our eye. Before we know it, we’re instantly back where we started. Confused. Frustrated. And with cold feet.
The first step is to narrow down your ambition. Do you want to work with animals? Do you want to do something involving numbers? Perhaps you enjoy music or drama or the theatre? Today we’re going to look at a few university course options relating to working with people.
Physical therapist
Physical therapy changes people’s lives (see physical therapy degree programs). The positive impact of a physical therapy course can mean the difference between someone regaining their independence or relying on carers every day for the rest of their life.
To begin with, let’s think about career prospects. Why would you choose a career in helping people to strengthen their muscles and improve their mobility? The fact is, that from motorcycle stunt bike riders to everyday commuters slipping on an icy train platform, there will always be a steady flow of clients. You will never be out of work.
In terms of a rewarding career, working in physical therapy (PT) gives you the chance to apply your skills and knowledge in a way that can help somebody find work or rediscover their love of life. Nobody likes to feel forgotten, and a physical therapist’s job is to help people feel more integrated with society. What could be more rewarding than that?
Social work
Social work is the ideal field of work for anyone who is a good listener and isn’t scared of taking the appropriate action. What does that mean? You could be faced with a young person who has been referred to you for reasons that, upon investigation, are just the tip of the iceberg.
The next day you could be dealing with a family, an elderly member of the community, a professional sportsperson, or a homeless person. The variety in the workload is vast.
Drilling down to the root cause of the issue and helping people to confront and resolve their problems is something not everyone can do. If that sounds like a line of work in which you think you could thrive, social work may be for you.
Teaching
There’s an unfortunate phrase associated with teaching. You may already be familiar with it. ‘Those who can, do, those who can’t, teach’.
There is not a teacher in the land who would not take umbrage with such thinking. After all, Aristotle was a teacher (of sorts), and he learned from Plato who learned from Socrates. And nobody’s lining up to tell the world’s most notorious trio of philosophers that they weren’t applying themselves.
Teaching shapes lives. If you’re a public speaker with a way with words, and if you can use that gift to explain complicated topics in an easy to understand fashion, teaching might be your people-centric calling. Simply pick a subject that means something to you and pass on your passion.
