Traveling the world is what Talley Sjoberg has in mind for her career. Only she won’t be visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa or the Louvre Museum; she’ll be spending her time working in refugee camps.
Sjoberg attended graduate school at the University of Minnesota for a master’s degree in social work. The research that Sjoberg does deals mainly with social issues that involve the workplace. Sjoberg works on developing curriculum and policies that address these social issues. She then shares her findings with the community. Other projects in which Sjoberg is involved include supporting immigrant workers and developing Web-based curriculums.
Sjoberg received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and early-childhood development from Gannon University (http://www.gannon.edu ). After graduation, Sjoberg decided she wanted to go abroad to widen her horizons. A wrong number landed her in Thailand.
“I saw an advertisement in a teaching magazine and called,” she says. “I was calling for a school in Bangkok, and the operator gave me the wrong number.”
When she explained to the principal that she was calling for a school in Bangkok, she was told that they were hiring at that school, so Sjoberg decided to apply. “I ended up teaching in Thailand because I was interested in the culture and that area of the world,” she says.
Sjoberg taught kindergarten and English as a Second Language there for a year. Spending a year in Thailand is what prompted Sjoberg to get her master’s degree in social work. According to Sjoberg, there are many social issues that keep children from reaching their potential. She says she wants to make sure children around the world are given opportunities to reach that potential.
When Sjoberg completes her master’s degree, she would like to work for the International Rescue Committee to implement education plans for children in refugee camps across the world.
Some of the good things about working as a social worker, Sjoberg says, is seeing how policy impacts people and meeting all sorts of people. Social working’s bad parts are low pay, and that you don’t work traditional workdays. “You can’t work a regular nine-to-five schedule,” Sjoberg says.
A social worker’s salary averages $30,000 a year, but that depends on your location and experience. Sjoberg says that you can receive higher pay and other benefits if you work in refugee camps. Social workers who work in refugee camps receive extra pay for living and working in harsh conditions. You will also receive good medical benefits with this type of work. Sometimes your housing will be provided while you are in other countries.
If you are interested in working as a social worker in refugee camps, Sjoberg recommends doing volunteer work with diverse populations. She also suggests paying close attention to global events. You should get to know people from different backgrounds with ethnic, religious or social differences. According to Sjoberg, learning about another person with a different background can help you learn more about other cultures.
While in college, Sjoberg recommends getting an undergraduate degree in social work, public affairs or education. She also suggests you study a foreign language.
In 10 years, Sjoberg hopes to be working in policy for a nongovernmental agency and working with refugee committees. Her ultimate goal is to directly apply the policies that she creates by developing curriculum and doing research while staying connected to the community. Sjoberg says: “Being connected to the community gives me the opportunity to see how curriculum and policy really work for people.”
