For our study, we included 332 graduates from a sanitary engineering program (broadly equivalent to environmental health practitioners) in an analysis comparing graduates who completed their studies before the degree program reform with graduates who completed their studies after the reform. Most of the respondents (72%) were employed in their profession. Graduates who completed their degree after the reform, however, were more likely ( p ≤ .001) to report being employed in the private sector (44%) and/or outside the profession (25%). Hygiene and epidemiology were confirmed as the two main pillars of the profession in both groups. It was also confirmed that the last reform of the degree program has met the needs of the labor market. Higher employment in the private sector and topics of continuous professional development after employment, however, require special attention. Based on our study findings, we see the potential in microcredits for lifelong learning and employability, which will allow workers in the environmental health field to adapt more quickly to changes and needs.
Ovca et al. (2026) studied this question.