Speech and language therapist : Career development

Competition for entry-level speech and language therapist posts is fierce. The growth of undergraduate courses has increased the number of jobseekers, but posts are not necessarily located where newly qualified applicants are based.

On qualification, and having registered with the Health Professions Council (HPC) , the first year of work is spent under supervision in order to become a full member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) . This is usually in a post within the National Health Service (see NHS Careers ), which frequently involves working from one of several locations, such as health centres, hospital clinics and special schools.

Many qualified speech and language therapists choose to specialise in a particular client group or disorder, although others move between client groups. Senior therapist positions exist in clinical specialisms, management and research and teaching. A typical career path for speech and language therapists will often involve increased management responsibilities.

Self-employment is a growing career development option and the Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice (ASLTIP) provides support to speech and language therapists in this area of work.