Career Information

Occupational Therapy Assistant

Works in collaboration with an occupational therapist providing services to people with disabilities.

Job Tasks

Working with people with disabilities to maximize independence.  Work may include hands-on treatments, fabricating and training with adaptive equipment, training clients and care givers, documenting service and reporting progress.

Traits Needed

• Aptitudes:
  Creativity, problem solving skills, critical thinking skills, good observation skills, reasoning skills, variety of life experiences, comfort working with all types of people, articulate thoughts clearly.

• Interests:
  Service oriented activities, creative expressions, analyzing situations, working with your hands.

• Temperament:
  Patience, enjoyment of working with people, comfortable around people with disabilities, work well under supervision, team player, positive thinker.

Career and Salary Options-
Typical Entry-Level Salary

• Occupational Therapy Assistant
  $16 per hour-$23 per hour (based on data from 2008 graduates)

Working Conditions

Mostly indoors, some weekends, hand writing or typing reports, communication with other health professionals, participation in team meetings, efficient and timely work.

Physical Demands

Depends upon area of practice. May require intensive amounts of physical activity or ability to perform transfers with adult patients and moving treatment equipment.

Job Outlook

Consistently stable. One of the fastest growing professions nationally and locally. Most OTA graduates employed within weeks of completion of the national certification examination.