Situating the Efficacy of Certificate Course in Social Work: A Case of First-Ever Course in Bhutan

Abstract

Purpose: With the transition of political, economic, and social scenario in Bhutan, the civil society organizations (CSOs) have been expanding over the years. However, a paucity of trained social workers in Bhutan has compelled the CSOs to recruit employees with varying degrees. Considering such situation, this study was designed to understand the efficacy of Bhutan’s first-ever certificate course in social work offered by Samtse College of Education from the vantage point of the participants. Method: It adopted a convergent parallel mixed-method design, primarily employing questionnaires and semistructured individual interviews. Results: The study found the certificate course to be highly effective in enhancing the professional competence of the social workers in Bhutan. Discussion: The study supports the need to provide similar courses to hundreds of untrained social workers in Bhutan who are aspiring to upgrade their professional competence.