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Any speech therapists on here? What's it like? Job Prospects?

  • 18-10-2015 1:38pm
    #1
    Mr Rhode Island Red
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 746 ✭✭✭


    Hi

    I'm trying to figure out what to do in college and I'm between general science, engineering and speech therapy.

    People have always told me I have a very clear speaking voice and that I've good articulation. I've done a lot of public speaking and have played one of the lead roles in my school musical a year ago. I'm also decent at accents and impressions.

    I've been researching Speech and Language therapy as a career on the internet, but there doesn't seem to be much information about the line of work in Ireland.

    I have a few questions about the career and was wondering if anybody could give me some advice.

    What are the job prospects like? I don't want to get into a degree that has no jobs at the end of it. Are most speech therapists employed by the HSE or do they operate their own private setups? Also, is it a decently paid job?

    With what age group(s) does most of the work entail? From what I hear, most of the work is with young children. Is this true or is it possible to find work with adults as well? Not that I have a problem working with children (I'd say that they're much easier work with than adults at times) but I'd like to work with adults equally.

    Is the field of work dominated by women? I was reading some statistics saying that 95% of UK Speech and Language therapists are female. This doesn't bother me in the slightest but is there a reason for it? I'm a guy myself and am curious as to whether there is reasons women are more suited to speech therapy that men? Even on the NUIG website (where I'd most likely be studying) it says that all the lecturers are women.

    Again this doesn't bother me at all but I'm just wondering why this is the case. Will I have trouble finding work/operating a private clinic as a male speech/language therapist?

    Is there anything else I should be aware of before I continue research into this line of work?

    Any and all advice appreciated

    Thanks


Comments

  • #2
    Mr Rhode Island Red
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 746 ✭✭✭Mr Rhode Island Red


    bump. Anyone at all?


  • #3
    mel.b
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,130 ✭✭✭mel.b


    I am a Speech Therapist. Firstly there is a HUGE difference between Speech and Language Therapy and Engineering - opposite ends of the spectrum really! Speech and Language Therapy involves a lot of study of linguistics and psychology as well as anatomy and human sciences. Engineering I would imagine would be very maths focused. Speech and Language can be a job where you are never 'finished', especially if working in disabilities or rehab, whereas with engineering you would finish a project and move onto the next one. In SLT often there are no cut and dried 'answers' either. There is a LOT of paperwork involved as well. If those things don't appeal to you, then SLT may not be for you.

    I was in a class of 100 and there were 3 men, so it is very much a female dominated field (like many of the health sciences). However, don't let that stop you. Job prospects are slowly improving in Ireland - they have been bad for a number of years with the HSE recruitment embargo, a lot of the more recent graduates went to England, Canada, Singapore, Australia etc to get experience. However I know of graduates from this year who still don't have jobs in SLT. You can set up your own private practice however I wouldn't advise this as a new graduate as you will need ongoing supervision and mentoring.

    Speech therapists work with people from birth to death. I currently work in early intervention so 0 - 6 disabilities. Prior to that I had a mixed caseload of primary care 0 - 5 and Adult acute/rehab in a hospital. There is adult work there, however I don't think it's as common or as well staffed as it could be. I am from Australia where there are a lot more adult therapists.

    Having good pronunciation etc isn't as important as you think - what is more important is how you relate to and work with people. Salary wise if you get a job in the HSE you have security, pension etc, but I'd hazard a guess there'd be more money in engineering in the private sector. No chance of overtime in the HSE and promotion opportunities are limited. You'll also have to deal with waitling lists, upset parents, limited resources etc. However it's an interesting job, everyday is different and its special to be a part of these families lives and to make a difference to them and their children.


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