Social Workers and Football Players

Many of my friends and people who know of the underpaid situation of social workers tell me "Aiya, you chose this job not because of money right, it's your passion mah" or "The rewards you get are not monetary anyway." 

Right. 

As if job satisfaction and passion can pay my bills and loan. Oh well..

Let's just say there are alot of people who do what they do because they have a passion for it (which we all should!), like football players. Yet, does it mean that the monetary rewards should in anyway be compromised? It's just like in football, players turn professional because they have outgrown random grass patches and using slippers as goal posts. It is not merely their passion but as their skills improve, it has become their professional job and a career. They are paid high wages simply because they deserve it! Over the years, football has evolved into such a stage whereby it is not just a sport but so much more!

Isnt it the same for the social service sector? It has evolved into such a stage where relying solely on the gotong royong spirit is a thing of the past. We've advanced way ahead of impromptu mutual helping on personal basis to social workers having proper qualifications and policies set in place. With all these changes, shouldnt the people up there should do something more than pay social workers a few hundred dollars more than deliverymen/bus drivers to start retaining good workers? Where's the recognition for the profession? I mean EVEN S-league is more recognised now with more money being pumped in to develop talents, hire more qualified coaches and increase publicity. So why not for the social service sector?

Reality set in again yesterday when I received a credit card application form from OCBC in the mail. And yes, you guessed it, I am still not able to meet the minimum annual income criteria to own one, despite being a graduate and having worked for almost 2 years. Guess I shall just stick to my debit cards and the "auntie" NTUC Card=)

Aiya.. ventilate as I may, I still chose to stick to this job because it means so much to me and there is nothing else I'd rather do, seriously. I just have to learn to manage my money better and sell more old clothes online. FAST DEALS PLS! hahaha!