No one wants to go into a career without knowing a lot about it. The trick is finding that free, all-in-one guidebook to the education needed and employment possibilities after graduation. Well, luckily there are ways to get the facts about occupational therapy assistant school and the exciting employment possibilities out there with an occupational therapy assistant (OTA) degree. (See “Free eBook,” below.)
For those just beginning a career search, the career field of occupational therapy may seem unfamiliar. In occupational therapy settings, occupational therapists (OTs) and occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) work together to help people facing various challenges live their best possible life.
In general, an OT recommends therapy solutions. The OTA is responsible for conducting day-to-day therapy with the client, ensuring progress toward goals, and making therapy adjustments if necessary.
In occupational therapy assistant school, students learn about the challenges clients face. Challenges may be developmental, emotional, mental, cognitive, or physical.
Some clients may have sensory processing disorders that disrupt day-to-day life. For example, a child may have an intense reaction to the sound of a leaf blower outside a nearby window.
OTA student doing sensory processing therapy for a child.
One health sciences university, Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC), seems to understand what prospective students need to know as they investigate occupational therapy assistant schools.
The university’s 44-page eBook helps students understand what earning an OTA degree involves, current employment statistics, references to learn more about the profession, and provides questions and data that prospective OTA students can use to make better career decisions.
Here are some of the questions the CUKC eBook helps answer:
It’s safe to say that the more someone looks into becoming an occupational therapy practitioner, the more likely he or she is to make it a career. Because of several factors, the OTA role is desirable to those looking for a people-based healthcare job.
Here are four reasons an OTA career might be for you:
The majority of OTAs (more than 80%) choose an occupational therapy assistant school offering the Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) OTA degree. By going to school year-round, OTA students can be working as a Certified OTA in two years.
Occupational therapy practices have been in place since the early 1900s. New research increasingly validates occupational therapy principles and strategies.
The annual jobs survey by U.S. News & World Report has occupational therapy assistants as a top-15 healthcare support job. The OTA role scored high for salary, work environment, room for advancement, and work-life balance.
OTAs are at work in
After completing the classes, labs, and field experiences from a two-year occupational therapy assistant school and passing a national certifying exam, graduates can expect salaries in the $45-48,000 range.
Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) is a nonprofit, private, healthcare-focused university in Overland Park, Kansas.
CUKC offers an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S. degree) in Occupational Therapy Assistant that includes the required four to five months of fieldwork experience. This educational component helps ensure mastery of essential OTA skills and knowledge.
Primary features of our OTA degree program:
Request information to learn about our occupational therapy assistant degree, and you can download this free eBook: Your Complete Guide to an Occupational Therapy Assistant Career.
