While the work can be rewarding on a personal level, you must be willing to sacrifice. The company has a terrible compensation philosophy. Your challenges and responsibilities are not necessarily reflected in your pay. People fill similar roles in other departments may get paid significantly more or less than you. Plus, there is no raise mechanism. If you work hard, your best hope for a raise is a promotion. Senior employees sometimes make less than new ones, because the starting pay can go up faster than your wages, and the company doesn't do anything to address this.
You may become overwhelmed and there aren't always supports in place to help you. Direct service work can be intensely demanding and may not give you the opportunity to take a break during your work day. You may be asked to consistently go beyond your job description. For some, this can be a good thing. For others, it can lead to burnout and dissatisfaction. You must also be prepared to let your good deeds go 99% unthanked by management.
Though there are opportunities for advancement at the organization, they aren't common. Management positions do not often free up. Consider direct support work as more of a vocation than a career. You may get excellent training with plenty of certifications, but direct support staff often find it challenging to advance their careers through promotion.
