Career Possibilities
Child Development Supervisor
Child Development Supervisors nurture and care for children who have not yet entered formal schooling. In addition to attending to children's basic needs, Child Development Supervisors organize activities and implement curricula that stimulate children's physical, emotional, intellectual, and social growth. Children's play to is used to further language and vocabulary development by using storytelling, rhyming games, and acting games. At this age, focus is on enhancing social skills and scientific and mathematical concepts are introduced. Supervisors may also be responsible for managing a budget, planning menus, purchasing food, and supervising child care workers.
Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook
Child Life Specialist
A Child Life Specialist is a professional who is specially trained to help children and their families understand and manage challenging life events and stressful healthcare experiences. Child Life Specialists are skilled in providing developmental, educational, and therapeutic interventions for children and their families under stress. Child Life Specialists support growth and development while recognizing family strengths and individuality, and respecting different methods of coping. Certified Child Life Specialists have earned a Bachelor's or Master's degree, with an educational background that includes human growth and development, education, psychology, and counseling. They are required to complete an internship program and a rigorous application and examination process.
Source: Child Life Council
Human Resources Manager
Every organization wants to attract the most qualified employees and match them to jobs for which they are best suited. However, many enterprises are too large to permit close contact between top management and employees. Human resources managers and specialists provide this connection. In the past, these workers performed the administrative function of an organization, such as handling employee benefits questions or recruiting, interviewing, and hiring new staff in accordance with policies established by top management. Today's human resources workers manage these tasks, but, increasingly, they also consult with top executives regarding strategic planning. They have moved from behind-the-scenes staff work to leading the company in suggesting and changing policies.
Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook
Marriage and Family Therapist
Marriage and family therapists apply family systems theory, principals and techniques to individuals, families, and couples to resolve emotional conflicts. In doing so, they modify people's perceptions and behaviors, enhance communication and understanding among family members, and help to prevent family and individual crises. Marriage and family therapists also may engage in psychotherapy of a non-medical nature, make appropriate referrals to psychiatric resources, perform research, and teach courses about human development and interpersonal relationships.
Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook
Nurse
Registered nurses (RNs), regardless of specialty or work setting, treat patients, educate patients and the public about various medical conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients' family members. RNs record patients' medical histories and symptoms, help perform diagnostic tests and analyze results, operate medical machinery, administer treatment and medications, and help with patient follow-up and rehabilitation.
Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook
Public Health Educator
Public Heath Educators are employed primarily by State and local departments of public health and, therefore, administer State-mandated programs. They strive to get information out to the public on various health problems and make people aware of the resources their programs have to help people to the community. While some organizations target a particular audience, others educate the community regarding one disease or health issue. Work in this setting may include creating print-based material for distribution to the community, often in conjunction with organizing lectures, health screenings, and activities related to increasing awareness. Some may serve on statewide councils or national committees on health-related topics. In this role, they inform other professionals of changes to health policy. They work closely with nonprofit organizations to help them get the resources they need, such as grants, to continue serving the community.
Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook
Social Worker
Social work is a profession for those with a strong desire to help improve people's lives. Social workers assist people by helping them cope with issues in their everyday lives, deal with their relationships, and solve personal and family problems. Many social workers specialize in serving a particular population or working in a specific setting. Child, family, and school social workers provide social services and assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families and to maximize the well-being of families. They may assist single parents, arrange adoptions, or help find foster homes for neglected, abandoned, or abused children. Some specialize in services for senior citizens. Some social workers conduct research, advocate for improved services, engage in systems design or are involved in planning or policy development.
Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook
Training Coordinator
Training and development managers and specialists conduct and supervise training and development programs for employees. Increasingly, management recognizes that training offers a way of developing skills, enhancing productivity and quality of work, and building worker loyalty to the firm, and most importantly, increasing individual and organizational performance to achieve business results. Training is widely accepted as an employee benefit and a method of improving employee morale, and enhancing employee skills has become a business imperative. Increasingly, managers and leaders realize that the key to business growth and success is through developing the skills and knowledge of its workforce.
Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook
Floral Designer
Floral designers, or florists, cut live, dried, or silk flowers and other greenery and arrange them into displays of various sizes and shapes. These workers design these displays by selecting flowers, containers, and ribbons and arranging them into bouquets, corsages, centerpieces of tables, wreaths, and the like for weddings, funerals, holidays, and other special occasions. Job duties often vary by employment setting. Most floral designers work in small independent floral shops that specialize in custom orders and also handle large orders for weddings, caterers, or interior designers. Some floral designers also assist interior designers in creating live or silk displays for hotels, restaurants, and private residences. Florists who work for wholesale flower distributors assist in the selection of different types of flowers and greenery to purchase and sell to retail florists. Self-employed floral designers must handle the various aspects of running their own businesses, such as selecting and purchasing flowers, hiring and supervising staff, and maintaining financial records.
Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook
Learn more about majoring in Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Illinois
- Department of Human and Community Development website
- Courses in Human Development and Family Studies
