REASONS FOR CHOOSING SOCIAL WORK AS PROFESSION: A CASE STUDY OF PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LIMPOPO

Abstract

The current number of social workers in South Africa is worryingly low. Whereas the motives for pursuing social work as a career have been documented, over the course of time things change and it is not possible to know or assume what motivated the current cohort of students. Thus, ongoing research is vital. A document analysis research that was qualitative in nature was undertaken at the University of Limpopo, where a selection test questionnaire in the form of open-ended questions was administered to 141 prospective students. The findings of a thematic analysis indicate that aspirations to pursue social work are influenced by family, school teachers, social workers in the field and a desire for self-healing. Keywords: career paths, prospective social work students, social work profession, University of Limpopo