The Role of Special Practical Training in the Professional Preparation of University Social Work Students: Required Practical Skills from the Professional Perspective
|Published online: June 3, 2014
One of the priorities of university education within the EU is the preparation of experts for meeting the demands of practice. The level of the acquired knowledge and skills required by practice serves as the chief indicator in these demands. Looking at training of social workers at Czech universities, we perceive an effort to connect the so-called university education with the requirements of the Bologna Process, as well as the effort to meet the classification standards of the Czech Association of Educators in Social Work. The Association of Educators in Social Work aims for better interconnection of the aspects of university (academic) education, (i.e. the acquisition of university competencies such as creativity, flexibility, innovative spirit, teamwork, etc.) with the aspects of professional (specialized) education, (i.e. the acquisition of competencies needed for professional perspective in social work.) Therefore, it is only natural for the Czech university training of social workers to search for the optimal form of education. In 2012, a questionnaire survey was conducted in order to determine the content of professional competencies of social workers from the perspective of the actual social work practice. 1,350 respondents participated, all of whom were Czech social workers. The objective of this paper is to point out the possibilities to innovate the study program with the emphasis on the development of specific skills.