Direct Care Specialists: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of direct care specialists about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for direct care specialists to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of direct care specialists expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for direct care specialists.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Direct Care Specialists?
Do direct care specialists need a degree? What kind of experience do direct care specialists typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for direct care specialists to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Direct Care Specialists
Jobs Postings for Direct Care Specialists By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 3,383 (44%)
- High School or GED: 1,861 (24%)
- No Education Listed: 1,232 (16%)
- Master's degree: 1,006 (13%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 188 (2%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of direct care specialists. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 44% of positions. In 24% of job listings a High School diploma or GED was required and in 16% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Direct Care Specialists
Jobs Postings for Direct Care Specialists By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 1,437 (36%)
- 2-3 Years: 1,705 (43%)
- 4-6 Years: 757 (19%)
- 7-9 Years: 38 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 20 (1%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for direct care specialists. In 43% of job postings for Direct Care Specialists, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 36% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 19% of job postings for direct care specialists.
What Kind of Degree Do Direct Care Specialists Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for direct care specialists, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 6 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective direct care specialists, and in 2021 a total of 160,459 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective direct care specialists.
Top Degree Programs for Direct Care Specialists
Top 5 Degree Programs for Direct Care Specialists (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 140,792 |
| Human Services, General. | 13,224 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,169 |
| Rehabilitation Science. | 1,161 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling/Counselor. | 996 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 140,792 |
| Human Services, General. | 13,224 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,169 |
| Rehabilitation Science. | 1,161 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling/Counselor. | 996 |
| Assistive/Augmentative Technology and Rehabilitation Engineering. | 117 |
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What Skills Do Direct Care Specialists Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by direct care specialists to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for direct care specialists, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Direct Care Specialists
Based on 6,231 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Direct Care Specialists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Rehabilitation | 1,752 | 28% |
| Social Work | 1,693 | 27% |
| Case Management | 1,106 | 18% |
| Psychology | 1,002 | 16% |
| Human Services | 962 | 15% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Direct Care Specialists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 3,126 | 50% |
| Management | 1,483 | 24% |
| Customer Service | 1,343 | 22% |
| Problem Solving | 1,194 | 19% |
| Coordinating | 1,181 | 19% |
Based on 6,231 job postings related to direct care specialists, rehabilitation was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 28% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for social work, case management, psychology, human services and mental health were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for direct care specialists, followed by management, customer service, problem solving, coordinating and writing.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Rehabilitation | 1,752 | 28% |
| Social Work | 1,693 | 27% |
| Case Management | 1,106 | 18% |
| Psychology | 1,002 | 16% |
| Human Services | 962 | 15% |
| Mental Health | 944 | 15% |
| Behavioral Health | 560 | 9% |
| Treatment Planning | 534 | 9% |
| Medical Records | 472 | 8% |
| Disabilities | 447 | 7% |
| Medicaid | 435 | 7% |
| Data Entry | 428 | 7% |
| Nursing | 418 | 7% |
| Electronic Medical Record | 397 | 6% |
| Project Management | 393 | 6% |
| Bilingual (Spanish/English) | 382 | 6% |
| Crisis Intervention | 368 | 6% |
| Mental Diseases | 345 | 6% |
| Office Equipment | 319 | 5% |
| Care Coordination | 313 | 5% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 3,126 | 50% |
| Management | 1,483 | 24% |
| Customer Service | 1,343 | 22% |
| Problem Solving | 1,194 | 19% |
| Coordinating | 1,181 | 19% |
| Writing | 1,097 | 18% |
| Planning | 1,017 | 16% |
| Microsoft Office | 998 | 16% |
| Advocacy | 959 | 15% |
| Leadership | 826 | 13% |
| Detail Oriented | 823 | 13% |
| Microsoft Excel | 754 | 12% |
| Coaching | 734 | 12% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 717 | 12% |
| Computer Literacy | 687 | 11% |
| Time Management | 684 | 11% |
| Presentations | 650 | 10% |
| Organizational Skills | 641 | 10% |
| Operations | 613 | 10% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 575 | 9% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about direct care specialists? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for direct care specialists.
What do direct care specialists do?
How much do direct care specialists make?
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The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.