Occupation Profile

Occupational Therapy Assistants

(SOC Code : 31-2011)

in California

Assist occupational therapists in providing occupational therapy treatments and procedures. May, in accordance with State laws, assist in development of treatment plans, carry out routine functions, direct activity programs, and document the progress of treatments. Generally requires formal training.

Employers are usually looking for candidates with a Associate degree .

Occupational Wages

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Area	Year	Period	Hourly Mean	Hourly by Percentile
				25th	Median	75th
California	2012	1st Qtr	$29.64	$25.60	$30.51	$34.58

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Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")

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Area	Estimated Year-Projected Year	Employment		Employment Change		Annual Avg Openings
		Estimated	Projected	Number	Percent
California	2010 - 2020	2,000	2,700	700	35.0	100

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Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange

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Enter a Zip Code Find a Zip code in California

Within miles of Zip Code.

Possible Licenses Required and Issuing Authority

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License Title

License Authority

Occupational Therapy Assistant

Department of Consumer Affairs
Board of Occupational Therapy
www.bot.ca.gov

About Licenses

Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)

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Industry Title

Number of Employers in State of California

Percent of Total
Employment for Occupation in State of California

Offices of Other Health Practitioners

38,883

42.3%

General Medical and Surgical Hospitals

1,393

19.3%

Nursing Care Facilities

2,386

13.7%

Elementary and Secondary Schools

17,985

3.7%

Individual and Family Services

18,414

3.0%

About Staffing Patterns

Training Programs (click on title for more information)

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Program Title

Occupational Therapist Assistant

About Training & Apprenticeships

About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)

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Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)

Select therapy activities to fit patients` needs and capabilities.

Observe and record patients` progress, attitudes, and behavior and maintain this information in client records.

Communicate and collaborate with other healthcare professionals involved with the care of a patient.

Maintain and promote a positive attitude toward clients and their treatment programs.

Monitor patients` performance in therapy activities, providing encouragement.

Instruct, or assist in instructing, patients and families in home programs, basic living skills, or the care and use of adaptive equipment.

Implement, or assist occupational therapists with implementing, treatment plans designed to help clients function independently.

Evaluate the daily living skills or capacities of physically, developmentally, or emotionally disabled clients.

Aid patients in dressing and grooming themselves.

Report to supervisors, verbally or in writing, on patients` progress, attitudes, and behavior.

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Top Skills used in this Job

Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others` reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Time Management - Managing one`s own time and the time of others.

Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.

Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.

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Top Abilities (Attributes of the person that influence performance in this job.)

Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

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Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.)

Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.

Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

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Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.)

Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

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