Becoming a Social Worker

This inquiry is focused on three main aspects: the decision-making process for a BA in Social Work, entry conditions, and student retention factors. A descriptive and correlational study was conducted in a public university in the northeastern Colombian region.

A structured questionnaire was used, with a five-year gap (2017 n=106 and 2022 n=108), in two random samples of students of the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW). Results reveal that even though it is hard to get a spot in the university, Social Work is not an attractive program for students, initially. Nevertheless, across the training process, the early weak resolution turns into a highly valued conviction and Social Work becomes a relevant career and professional decision for students’ individual and social development.