From Aspiration to Action: The Necessity for a Non-degree Pathway for Human Service Career Preparation and Training
From Aspiration to Action: The Necessity for a Non-degree Pathway for Human Service Career Preparation and Training
Aleata Dawkins | 2025
Abstract
The demand for human services has surged over the past ten years due to growing issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the mental and emotional stressors faced by Americans in their quest for stability. As a result, human service organizations and professionals now face the challenge of responding to the increased number of requests for services. To address the critical concerns plaguing the human services industry, which is historically characterized by high staff turnover, burnout, and low morale exacerbated by noncompetitive wages, this literature review explores the pressing need for a non-degree pathway into the profession. While there is often over-prioritization for experienced workers and those with advanced degrees or licenses, many supporting roles do not require such experience. This leads to missed opportunities for leveraging the skills of regular people who are effective problem solvers in their own personal lives, along with a generation of young adults seeking professional experience. By prioritizing consistent competency-based training and affordable certification opportunities, we can help develop new talent to meet the desperately growing needs in the field while also enabling veteran workers to share their institutional knowledge as coaches and mentors. This study also highlights the structural barriers that disproportionately affect workers of color, such as economic instability, inflation, and limited access to essential resources. These factors create silent pressure on current human service workers, who must serve their clients while grappling with their own needs. How can the human services field address these challenges while planning for a future that improves job satisfaction and career growth opportunities? This research concludes with practical suggestions for creating a more sustainable and equitable human services environment by bridging gaps within the field through targeted training and development. The developed curriculum emphasizes strategic improvements in hiring, retention, training, and employee well-being alongside a focused, innovative method to meet future workforce demands. The goal is to expand access to training for individuals who may not have been initially considered for roles in the field. By meeting the demand for competency-based professional development, this training engages interested individuals who lack professional experience yet passionate about the call to help and aid humanity, thus strengthening the field’s ability to meet demands as they escalate.
Keywords: human services, training, competency-based training, increased demand