Certified occupational therapy assistants work with people of all ages in schools, hospitals, outpatient clinics, home health, community programs, mental health and nursing homes.
Salaries vary from one geographical area to another.
The overall growth in the occupational therapy field is moderate with new jobs and areas of practice being created continually. Numerous continuing education courses are available to increase the assistant's skills in the area of practice. With careful planning, a certified occupational therapy assistant could go on to earn a bachelor's degree in occupational therapy to become a registered occupational therapist. Or, the AAS degree could be applied toward other BS degrees an individual may be interested in pursuing. Persons interested in this career should have good communication skills, have a desire to work with people, be self-starters, and enjoy problem solving activities.