Race relations is a topic that looks at how an individual's skin color can impact his or her life at large, and if you find this topic interesting, you might consider looking at race relations jobs.
Many of these jobs require that you have a lower or higher level college degree, but you'll have the chance to work with people of all ages and race to help them improve their lives.
Policy Advocate
Jim Crow laws were laws that existed in certain parts of the United States that specifically applied to black men and women. These laws prohibited people of different races from marrying, limited what services were available to certain people and let employers discriminate against workers on the basis of skin color. Policy advocates were the ones responsible for the elimination of those laws. Advocates continue working in race relations today and help bring attention to major problems that impact certain populations.
Race Researcher
Race relations jobs include positions that require independent thought and work. Race researchers work for the government, colleges, community organizations and private firms that conduct research into racial issues. You might work for a healthcare organization that looks at how to reduce the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases among young black people, or you might work for the government to help create programs to foster better relationships between law enforcement and locals. Race researchers also do work to uncover why and how skin color can affect the types of jobs that certain populations have.
Race Relations Officer
Working as a race relations officer is similar to working as an employee relations officer. Companies hire employee relations officers to keep employees happy. Those officers explain benefits to workers, get feedback from employees and take what they learned to supervisors and others in charge. A race relations officer might work for a private or public company to handle problems that arise between workers of different races. They can also deal with disputes that occur because of an individual's race and ensure that companies follow all federal and state employment laws.
Probation Officer
Some of the race relations jobs that you see today are in the criminal justice field, and a probation officer is just one of those job titles. A probation officer works with criminals convicted of crimes that receive probation instead of jail time. Some probation officers specifically focus on working with minorities to help those men and women learn how they can change their lives. They often offer suggestions on what those individuals should do while on probation, including finding a job, doing volunteer work or going through rehab. Probation officers are also responsible for ensuring that those under their care follow all requirements put in place by the court and that they stay out of trouble.
Social Worker
You may prefer working in race relations jobs that put you in direct contact with people from different backgrounds. Becoming a social worker lets you decide who you want to work with and where you want to work. You can investigate claims of child abuse, work in a community clinic or hospital or take a job with the local government. Social workers help improve race relations because they help people get their lives back on track and become better people. The median salary for a social worker is around $46,000 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
When looking for jobs in race relations, you might imagine yourself spending a lot of time pouring over statistics and other information as a researcher, but there are other race relations jobs available too. You might become a social worker, race relations officer or policy advocate.
Related Resource: Top 10 Online Social Work Degree Programs