Professional Retention of BSW Social Workers: Planned and Actual Career Choices

Authors

Paul R. Raffoul, University of Houston
James G. McCullagh, University of Northern Iowa

Abstract

The assumption that BSW students will remain in social work was examined with a survey of 107 current students and 177 graduates from 1977 through 1980. The findings suggest that most of the current students planned to practice social work and most of the graduates entered social work practice upon graduation. Recent graduates, however, had more difficulty obtaining social work jobs than graduates in 1977. Characteristics of social work education are not associated with retention, leading to the hypothesis that factors outside the control of social work education are more predictive of BSWS' retention in the profession.

Recommended Citation

Raffoul, Paul R. and McCullagh, James G. (1984) "Professional Retention of BSW Social Workers: Planned and Actual Career Choices," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 11: Iss. 3, Article 9.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15453/0191-5096.1667
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol11/iss3/9