Clinics that specialize in ABA and that are exclusively staffed by Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), Board Certified ABA Assistants (BCaBAs) and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) can now be found in almost any neighborhood. But as the methods behind behavior analysis continue to be applied more broadly, professionals with these nationally-recognized credentials are also often found working in other diverse areas.
The research behind the US Behavior Analyst Workforce report published by job market research and professional recruiting firm Burning Glass Technologies in cooperation with the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, found that behavior analysis doesn’t always fall neatly into any one occupational classification.
In fact, jobs that were once thought of as exclusively falling within the domain of social services, education, industry, criminal justice, rehabilitation and healthcare are more and more frequently held by professionals with formal training and certification in ABA, in addition to the training and certification they have in their primary roles. There’s a good reason for this: time and time again applied behavior analysis has been shown to be very effective and far-reaching in its ability to promote positive behavior, whether in the workplace, schools or the broader community.
Whether it’s professionals who are formally certified in ABA and who incorporate it into the work they do every day, or those working in a role only tangentially related to the field but that use some of the techniques to encourage and promote behaviors that align with societal norms or the goals of an organization, you will find ABA intersecting with literally dozens of different career fields.
Education
Behavioral Health Prevention Specialist
Social Work and Human Services
Community Outreach Worker/Specialist
Aging and Disability Resource Specialist
Psychiatric Rehabilitation Counselor
Alcohol and Drug Peer Support Specialist
Crisis Intervention Specialist
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
Psychology
Industrial Organizational Psychologist