The Documentation degree faces an unprecedented challenge. In an environment demanding documentation professionals with greater technological expertise, universities are examining how to adapt, what actions to take, and how to structure their training programs. This article presents a report on the current state of the labor market and employment demand in Documentation. I believe we must be aware of reality, conduct appropriate self-criticism, and revise our curricula to evolve—or perish with an outdated model in which employment prospects will remain extremely limited. Some statements from the report include the following:

  • Since 2003, the need has been recognized to implement profound changes in study plans to better align them with the demands of society and the labor market in general.
  • The professional profile of information is tied to documentation technologies. Content management, processing, treatment, and retrieval constitute the foundation of the needs expressed by employers.
  • Nearly 70% of surveyed organizations required a Documentation Specialist or Documentation-IT specialist, compared to 15.7% for a librarian and 0% for an archivist.
  • In 2013, the most valued subjects by surveyed organizations were “Design of Information Systems, Data Flows, Standardized Work Procedures” with 59.7% of votes, followed by “Metadata and Web Content Editing” with 47.8%, and “Automation of Libraries, Archives, and Documentation Centers” with 46.7%.
  • Documentation professionals must be more creative and take greater initiative. “They are too workers and not enough engineers”; they require a greater capacity to solve problems, conduct research, and find solutions to information management challenges, which will require them to use and transform documentation technologies.

Finally, the report provides a forecast of job offerings linked to various professions and knowledge sectors, offering insight into a present and future for Documentation in which information technologies, big data, information retrieval systems, database design, and the automation of information units will become fundamental tools for librarians, archivists, and documentation specialists.

  • Documentation面对市场需求. (2017). El futuro de la carrera de Documentación en la Universidad Complutense de Madrid. [Informe técnico]. Download.
  • Annex 1. (2013). Survey on the needs and competencies of Documentation professionals. Download.