August is no longer necessarily a month of rest for those aspiring to secure a position in the Administration. The 2026 Public Employment Offer (OEP), with 37,017 positions seeking generational renewal, was published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) on May 7, several months before the usual start of the academic year in September. This advance has shifted the preparation schedule and caused many candidates to take advantage of the summer to start studying early.
According to internal data from Supera Oposiciones, an academy that belongs to the educational group thePower Education, enrollments increased by 15.1% in July compared to January 2026, a month that traditionally concentrated the highest interest in taking competitive exams. The biggest surge occurred in August, when the institution registered a 40% growth compared to the same period the previous year.
A younger candidate
The change does not only affect the preparation schedule. Data from Supera Oposiciones also points to a rejuvenation of its enrollees. 39% of students are between 18 and 30 years old, compared to 28% who are between 30 and 40 and 23% between 40 and 50 years old. The academy links this profile change to new labor market dynamics and a growing search for stability.
Among those who started preparing this summer is Pablo Ros, 35 years old, who is studying for the State Civil Administration Management exam, level A2. His last contract ended on June 30 and he did not want to wait any longer. “The sooner I start, the sooner I will become familiar with the terminology and the requirements asked for the exam,” he explains.
Ros comes from communication and journalism and has previously worked in the Administration. He now seeks to continue that path “mainly for the stability and the salary.” Securing a position would mean for him leaving behind “the uncertainty of being hired for a limited time or for projects with expiration dates,” he adds.
Rafa González, 25 years old, also seeks stability and is preparing for the Auxiliary Computer Technician (TAI) exam. After studying a mid-level computer science degree, he did not find employment in that field and ended up working in warehouses. “I wanted to find something I liked and also more stable,” he explains.
His profile matches the strengthening of technological positions within the OEP. Of the 27,232 positions allocated to the General State Administration, calls for ICT bodies increased by 42% to reach 1,700, with specific tests in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and data science, according to Supera’s data.
Preparation already involves sacrifices for González, who studies from Monday to Saturday. “The typical outings with friends, going out in the afternoon, being able to go for a week or a weekend with family or friends, well, you have to sacrifice that part,” he says.
The search for stability
The stability offered by public employment appears as one of its main attractions. For 51% of the surveyed civil servants, having a permanent position has been decisive to undertake projects such as buying a home or starting a family. Additionally, 46.5% consider that the Administration is the only area where motherhood or fatherhood does not penalize professional development.
The research also reflects the weight of housing. 31.5% state they have rejected or postponed a position or promotion because they could not afford the prices in large cities, while 56% prioritize destinations in their home province or outside the areas with the highest real estate pressure.
Digitalization also accompanies this change in the profile of new candidates. 80.8% of the surveyed civil servants declare using artificial intelligence or automation tools during their workday, while a 83% demand access processes based on digital skills and practical case resolution, as opposed to traditional memorization.
Summer thus becomes a starting point for profiles that did not associate these months with preparing for a competitive exam. Beyond the differences in their paths, the cases of Ros and González show how access to the Administration is beginning to be seen as a more and more attractive option for those seeking to reorient their careers and build a solid life project.