Career Valveball Case Study

Career Curveball: Wagster’s Five Year Vision
After serving six years in the United States Army, Joshua Wagster was forced to retire due to a back injury. His future was suddenly unknown, forcing him to decide on a new career path. Faced with this adversity, he had no choice but to accept the reality of the situation. He knew that he wanted to serve in a profession that had a purpose and a positive impact on others. Knowing this, Wagster went to work figuring out what his future would hold by analyzing his personality and character traits, exploring resources available to veterans, and reminiscing about his life experiences. Consequently, five years from now, he will have a career as a Licensed Social Worker in the state of Kentucky because

of his childhood upbringing, his empathy, and his understanding of the education and licensure requirements needed.

Wagster’s unfortunate upbringing inspired him to pursue a career in Social Work because he does not want others to experience what he did. He also wants to use what he went through to help people through similar situations. Without government assistance, his family would have never made ends meet. His father was an alcoholic, and his mother was addicted to narcotics. Domestic violence was common in his household, and most of the time, ended with police intervention. Food in the house was scarce, often leaving him to fend for himself. Because of moving and switching schools every year, he found it difficult to make friends. One day, when he was nine years old, his aunt pulled him out of school to give him heartbreaking news. His mother was found dead at the age of twenty six due to an accidental drug overdose. When Wagster’s father found out, he went on a drinking binge and could not be found until the day of his mother’s funeral. As a result, the state took action by granting custody to Wagster’s aunt, and the relationship with his father would be forever damaged. Growing up, Children Protective Services made visits to his home on a regular basis, and to this day, Wagster wonders why the caseworkers

never intervened. Perhaps if he had been removed from his mother’s care, she would have turned her life around and be alive today. Having said that, no child would ever want to be separated from his parents, but in hindsight, Wagster now knows that the system failed him. Although his childhood was not an ideal situation, he did not want his past to hinder his future. American playwright, screenwriter, director, and actor, Stephen Adly Guirgis, stated, “One way to make a positive out of a negative is that you can put it into your work”. In other words, people can use bad situations and channel them into something good (BrainyQuote). Wagster will never know what would have been, but he feels that everything happens for a reason. He understands that his negative upbringing can be used as a positive, and his past experiences will help him empathize with others.
Empathy is the most important attribute that a Social Worker can have, and that is why Wagster will do great in the profession.

Having the ability to understand the position of others, and being relatable to their situations will make the job come natural to him. Current times suggest that too many people only worry about themselves, and do not consider others’ feelings. Many say that empathy is an attribute that people have or do not have, but Wagster disagrees. He feels that most people are fully capable of being empathetic, but choose not to be. Cultural thinker and writer on the art of living and social change, Roman Krznaric, states, “According to the latest neuroscience research, 98% of people (the exceptions include those with psychopathic tendencies) have the ability to empathise wired into their brains – an in-built capacity for stepping into the shoes of others and understanding their feelings and perspectives”. To clarify, mostly everyone is capable of relating to others (BBC News). Having empathy for others, as Wagster does, is a great attribute to have, but in order to utilize that trait as a Social Worker the mandatory requirements must first be

met.
Wagster understands the education and licensure requirements for the job because he has done extensive research. He concluded that, in the state of Kentucky, he will need to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, obtain a license by passing an exam given by the Association of Social Work Board, and finally, secure employment. As a medically retired veteran, Wagster has the privilege of participating in the Vocational Rehabilitation Program, where all training and education is covered at no cost to the veteran. Also, after getting his degree and obtaining his license, the program will assist him in finding suitable employment. He is currently enrolled at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College where he will earn his Associates in Arts degree. Upon completion, he will transfer to Western Kentucky University and acquire a Bachelor’s in Social Work. At that point, to begin his new career, the only thing left to be done will be to pass the licensure exam.
Because of Wagster’s high level of character to go along with his plan of action, his desire to have a career in Social Work is inevitable. His rough childhood fuels his passion to help people through tough times, his empathy allows him to understand and relate to the feelings of others, and he knows what the job requires of him. With that being said, by the year 2021, there is no doubt that Wagster will achieve his vision of being a Licensed Social Worker in the state of Kentucky.