Gateway Launches New Human Services Credential

Gateway Community & Technical College is launching a new credential program that offers an associate in applied science degree in human services. Registration for the new program and the Spring 2013 semester is currently under way.

Human service workers serve in a wide variety of private and public community agencies and help improve clients lives. Jobs in the human services field include case workers and managers, counselors of various types, mental health aides, human services assistants, independent living counselors and many more.

Gateway's Human Services program prepares students for entry-level positions in agencies and institutions that provide social, community, educational and mental health services. In addition to classroom instruction, students learn to apply theory to practice in a clinical experience in a real-world setting.

By law, Gateway credits can be transferred to any public four-year university in Kentucky. After earning an associate degree at Gateway, Human Services majors can pursue bachelors degree in counseling, Human Services, or related areas at a four-year university.

The human services field represents one of the 25 fastest-growing professions in the United States. According to the local 2020 Jobs Outlook Report, the number of jobs in the community and social services field is expected to increase by 36.7 percent by 2020 and total nearly 17,000 jobs. The local median wage in 2010 for such jobs was $37,630 a year.
Settings that employ human services professionals may include hospitals, youth care facilities, mental health settings, chemical dependency settings, correctional facilities, geriatric settings, and social services agencies.

Gateway's program qualifies for student assistance under a federal Health Profession Opportunity Grant. As a result, low-income students interested in human services may qualify for special tuition assistance and other financial benefits. Contact GW-HPOGemail@kctcs.edu for more information.

Classes for the 2013 spring semester begin Jan. 14, and registration for new or returning students in any field is ongoing. For information, call (859) 441-4500 and select the Admissions option. To apply online to become a Gateway student, visit http://www.gateway.kctcs.edu/Admissions/How_to_Apply.aspx.