The worrying unemployment rate of Spanish psychologists

The economic crisis and the problems of labor regulation continue to create problems in psychology.

Psychology is a field of study that has interested human beings since ancient times. University studies in this branch of science tend to be in high demand.There are many psychologists who graduate every year, and many more who begin their studies in this field.

However, not everything is simply a love of theoretical knowledge; although in some cases it is done solely out of intellectual interest or for other reasons, the vast majority of university students are being trained with the purpose of being able to work in a field that interests them. Unfortunately, entry into the labor market after graduation does not currently offer many opportunities for psychology professionals, especially after the economic crisis that began in 2007.

The worrying unemployment rate of Spanish psychologists has raised the alarm among both students and people with training in the field who are unemployed or who see their options of changing their place of work limited. It is a situation that affects a large number of professionals who cannot find a place where they can practice their profession in a dignified manner.

Studies and labor market: disparate situations

If we observe both the academic world and the labor market, it is possible to note the existence of a great disparity in the relationship between supply and demand. While university training in psychology is in high demand and universities have responded accordingly, in today's labor market the situation is complex and does not offer as many alternatives to professionals in the sector.

This leads to the existence of a high level of competitiveness when it comes to obtaining a job.In order to be able to stand out from the large number of competitors for the same position, it is practically necessary to take several postgraduate and master's degrees... and sometimes even this does not lead to significant progress in terms of employability. Perhaps the only branch of psychology in which this does not happen is organizational psychology, which is very much oriented towards human resources.

Although fortunately within psychology there are many fields in which it is possible to specialize, which means that some sectors have a better supply-demand ratio, the vast majority of professionals have great difficulty finding a job. great difficulty in finding a job..

The situation of psychology in Spain: unemployment

The employment situation of psychologists in this country, especially in the field of mental health, is paradoxical. The fact is that in Spain there is a great social need for psychological attentionThis need is becoming ever greater and more evident. It is estimated that one in four people will have some kind of problem requiring psychological care (especially anxiety and mood disorders) during their lifetime.

Spain has approximately 4 psychologists for every 100,000 inhabitants.The number of patients with a history of Diabetes is four times less than the European average (which is estimated at 18 per 100,000). This figure is totally insufficient to account for the population's need for professional care. This results in large waiting lists in the public health system for psychological treatment, while only 128 new public places have been offered annually, with a large number of professionals.

The result is that many patients are forced to turn to private practice if they want to practice or receive practice if they want to practice or receive treatment.

Although the situation is somewhat better in other areas outside the clinic, with a large number of job offers in the field of Human Resources and the business world, this path tends not to be the favorite one for students starting a university degree in Psychology.

Evolution of unemployment among psychologists

In recent years the situation for psychologists has improved slightly, with a small increase in hiring in February of this year. a small increase in hiring in February of this year compared to January or last year. compared to January or last year. However, this does not imply that the problem is solved.

According to data from the State Public Employment Service (SEPE) it is currently estimated that around 12,152 registered professionals are unemployed.. There is a clear improvement compared to the 14,088 of last year or the 16,800 of 2014, but the situation remains critical.

The difference between undergraduates and graduates must also be taken into account. The changes in educational matters that university education has undergone with the implementation of the Bologna plan led to the emergence of the Degree in Psychology, university training that allows the degree of psychologist to be obtained. However, it is possible to observe that there is currently a tendency for graduates to have a higher employment rate than graduates. The unemployment rate among graduates falls and that of graduates rises, although this may also be due to the shorter time on the market of the latter.However, this may also be due to the shorter time on the market for graduates.

Likewise, the fact that the Master's Degree in General Master's Degree in General Health Psychology and the professional practice of clinical psychology was made illegal outside this master's degree or the PIR training system (although professionals who met certain conditions were allowed to obtain an accreditation that allowed them to continue practicing professionally), led to the need for greater performance and competition in order to be able to practice as professionals in the health sector (the most in demand).

Another problem that psychology professionals often encounter is that even if they manage to find job offers linked to their professional sector, this employment tends to be temporary, this employment tends to be temporary.. Thus, job insecurity is a worrying constant in this sector, as in other professions linked to the world of health.

New policy measures are needed

From what has been seen, it seems that the drift of the labor market will not be sufficient to provide a minimum employment rate to meet the demand. Structural changes are needed to find a way out in the medium term, as the future of a whole generation of psychologists is at stake. the future of a whole generation of psychologists at the national level is at stake..