What percentage of previous graduates have gained work?
It has been quite consistent that 1/3 of the graduates are employed in facilities, 1/3 are serving in volunteer situations* and 1/3 have graduated and done this for their own personal therapy and skills building desires. *We understand that there are areas where it is appropriate and inappropriate to do volunteer work. If you are in a facility where there is a trained music therapist, music thanatologist or other trained therapeutic musician, then volunteering could undercut this person. This is not acceptable. We have a strong ethics code that all graduates are required to abide by. But there are other situations where people have no access to music and in cases it is permissible to volunteer. The aim through this needs to be education to the facility that this is not mere entertainment. We have devised creative ways to help facilities build funds for therapeutic harp music.
IHTP graduates consistently fall into three categories: 1/3 are employed in facilities, 1/3 serve in volunteer situations* and 1/3, while certified, choose to use their qualifications only for their own personal and musical growth. *We stress that there are areas where it is appropriate and inappropriate to do volunteer work. In a facility where there is a trained music therapist, music thanatologist or other trained therapeutic musician, volunteering might undercut this person’s rightful employment. We require our graduates to abide by a strong ethics code that prohibits causing harm to other music healing professionals.
