HBO-Monitor: more stress due to coronapandemic
The new report based on the HBO-Monitor shows that HBO graduates experience more stress in their jobs than before the coronapandem. On the other hand, unemployment rates among this group have changed relatively little.
The HBO-Monitor is an annual survey among all graduates of Dutch universities of applied sciences (in Dutch: Hogescholen). It provides insight into the (labour market) position of graduates and shows to what extent programmes prepare their students well for the labour market. The monitor is conducted by the Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market (ROA) of Maastricht University under the auspices of the Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences.
Coronapandemic
Between graduating in 2018/2019 and conducting the survey, the Netherlands was hit hard by the coronapandemic. Due to measures taken by the government and a high degree of flexibility of Dutch employees and employers, the consequences for the economy and employment were less drastic than initially feared. Nevertheless, especially in sectors where work has to be done in close proximity to other people, the pandemic has sometimes had far-reaching consequences for the way work can be done.
Labour market position reasonably stable
Considering the circumstances, graduates from universities of applied sciences did reasonably well in the labour market in 2020. Around 90% of full-time graduates found a job within three months of graduation, the same as in 2019. The monitor shows a small increase in unemployment. This increase seems to partly fit into a slightly upward trend, from a low point in 2017 at the end of the previous economic crisis. However, a relatively sharp rise in unemployment is seen in the arts sector. This is almost certainly partly due to the corona pandemic.
Stress mainly increased in health care
Approximately four in ten graduates said they currently experience a lot of stress at work. This proportion is highest among graduates from the arts (49%) and education (almost 47%) sectors. Graduates also said they experienced more stress now than before the corona crisis. The strongest increase in work-related stress in coronation time is seen in the health care sector.
The HBO-Monitor 2020 focuses on the labour market position of hbo graduates from academic year 2018/2019. At the end of 2020, approximately one and a half years after graduating, more than 29,000 of the graduates approached had completed the HBO-Monitor survey. The total response rate was thus 44%. These were students who had graduated from an associate degree, bachelor's or master's programme. Detailed information is available at www.hbomonitor.nl or in the knowledge database 'Facts and Figures' at www.vereniginghogescholen.nl.
For more information on the HBO-Monitor, go to www.hbomonitor.nl
