In today’s world of work, many employees want a career that gives the added satisfaction of contributing to the wider well-being of society. In a US survey on career choices, 50% of respondents said that it was very important to have a job or career that benefits society in some way. When you realize that most people dedicate an immense proportion of their lifetime to having a career, it makes sense to feel positive about the work that is done. If your work allows people or society in general to live healthier happier lives, this can be the motivation to work to the best of your ability throughout your career. If you are looking to start your first job or to change careers and want to make a difference, here are three jobs that are recognized as being of significant benefit to society.
School Counselor
Whilst teachers around the world are rightly recognized for their contributions to educating the next generations of society, school counsellors tend to receive less recognition. Their roles tend to be less obvious in the minds of the public, but their impact can be substantial in improving the lives of the younger generations. Today, the value of high-quality counselling is recognized and the benefits to young peoples’ psychological well-being when they are given constructive ways to deal with life’s problems cannot be overestimated. If you think you have the compassion, intelligence and wisdom to become a school counsellor, it makes sense to investigate gaining a PPS credential. This qualification stands for Pupil Personnel Services and allows you to gain deeper insights into what makes an excellent school counsellor. A lot of PPS courses offer support and guidance from existing school counsellors in their educational framework which gives the course a practical focus with real-world examples.
Firefighter
As a key component of any country’s emergency services response, firefighters play an integral role in ensuring that the public remains safe during housefires and in the world of industry. Housefires tend to be less common and catastrophic in today’s world, thanks in part to the reducing numbers of smokers, rise of smoke alarms in homes, and a decline in popularity of deep fat fryers which were notorious for causing housefires. However, in recent times, firefighters have expanded their public safety roles in many countries. Today, firefighters are a common sight in road traffic accidents and have specialist cutting equipment that can be used to release people safely and quickly from crashed cars. In recent years, several countries have utilized firefighters as first responders to cardiac arrests and many teams are highly trained with life-saving equipment such as defibrillators and suction units.
Dietitian
The work of a dietician is another less recognized profession, but the role gives considerable benefits to society. In an age where obesity is one of the world’s biggest health problems in the developed world, dietitians can provide specialist advice and tailored diets to minimize the risks that obesity poses and to educate people on how to reach their ideal weights. A dietician is also highly knowledgeable about illnesses such as diabetes which can be controlled to some degree by making healthy diet and lifestyle choices.