CAREER PATHWAYS: Human Services

This diverse Career Cluster prepares individuals for employment in career pathways related to families and human needs. 

This career cluster is divided into five pathways:

• Early Childhood Development and Services
• Counseling and Mental Health Services
• Family and Community Services
• Personal Care Services
• Consumer Services

Early Childhood Development and Services

People with careers in early childhood development and services nurture and teach children. They provide services in childcare centers, nursery schools, preschools, public schools, private households, family childcare homes, and before- and after-school programs. <Acquired from http://www.careerclusters.org/resources/ClusterDocuments/humdocuments/brochure.pdf >

Sample occupations include:

• Assistant Director, Childcare Facilities
• Childcare Assistant/ Worker
• Director, Childcare Facilities
• Educator  for Parents
• Nanny
• Preschool Teacher
• Teacher’s Assistant

Counseling and Mental Health Services

People working in counseling and mental health services assist people with personal, family, educational, mental health, and career decisions and problems. Mental health care may be provided in hospitals, clinics, schools, or private settings.<Acquired from http://www.careerclusters.org/resources/ClusterDocuments/humdocuments/brochure.pdf>

Sample occupations include:

• Career Counselor
• Clinical and Counseling Psychologist
• HIV/AIDS Counselor
• Marriage, Child, and Family Counselor
• Mental Health Counselor
• Rehabilitation Counselor
• Residential Counselor
• School Counselor
• Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselor

Family and Community Services

Employees with careers in family and community services help the homeless, housebound, and infirm cope with circumstances of daily living; counsel troubled and emotionally disturbed individuals; train or retrain the unemployed or underemployed; care for the elderly and the physically and mentally disabled; help the needy obtain financial assistance; and solicit contributions for various social services organizations. <Acquired from http://www.careerclusters.org/resources/ClusterDocuments/humdocuments/brochure.pdf>

Sample occupations include:

• Adult Day Care Worker
• Community Service Director
• Coordinator of Volunteers
• Director, Religious Activities/Education Programs

Personal Care Services

People with careers in personal care services assist individuals with their personal appearance, including shampooing, cutting, coloring, and styling hair, giving manicures, pedicures, and scalp and facial treatments; providing makeup analysis; cleaning and styling wigs and hairpieces . <Acquired from http://www.careerclusters.org/resources/ClusterDocuments/humdocuments/brochure.pdf>

Sample occupations include:

• Barber
• Cosmetologist
• Embalmer
• Funeral Attendant
• Funeral Director
• Nail Technician
• Personal Trainer
• Skin Care Specialist
• Spa Attendant

Consumer Services

People with careers in consumer services assist individuals with decisions and problems relating to finance, real estate, insurance and consumer goods.
<Acquired from http://www.careerclusters.org/resources/ClusterDocuments/humdocuments/brochure.pdf>

Sample occupations include:

• Certified Financial Planner
• Consumer Advocate
• Consumer Affairs Officer
• Consumer Research Representative
• Employee Benefits Representative
• Financial Advisor
• Market Researcher