Job Prospects and Employability in Nursing and Psychology

Abstract

Objective: Describe the employability of students majoring in nursing and psychology with respect to their job expectations and success in finding work. Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted among nursing and psychology students at the Autonomous University of the State of Morelos (UAEM) in Cuernavaca, Mexico. The sampling universe was comprised of 1,060 students, and a purposive sample of 297 students was obtained: 126 who are majoring in nursing and 171 in psychology. The va- riables studied include the job market, employment future, job appreciation, contribution to the company or organization, ideal job profile and socio-demographic variables. A survey was developed to measure the dependent variable. Results: A higher prevalence of women (74.7%) was observed; 20.9 % of the graduates are currently employed; 18.1% of those who are working are psychologists and 24.3% are nurses (71% women). As for job appreciation, contribution to the company or organization and ideal job profile, the students majoring in nursing had better scores than those majoring in psychology. Conclusion: Employability is a complex construct. Professional trai- ning should assess to what extent the graduate’s profile coincides with the demands of the job market, which is subject to precarious employment conditions, cultural factors, demonstrated skills and the potential of the human factor.