Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

WORKING IN SPAIN

Ten unique jobs you can only do in Spain

From professional ham cutters to flamenco dressmakers, there are plenty of professions that only exist in Spain. 

Published: 18 October 2023 10:04 CEST
Updated: 22 October 2023 08:18 CEST
Ten unique jobs you can only do in Spain
Could you become the fastest jamón cutter in the land? It's just one of those jobs you can only really expect to do in Spain. Photo: Cristina Quicler/AFP

Spain is a very idiosyncratic country and there are plenty of jobs to match, especially when it comes to its famed gastronomy and culture.

While some of the jobs on our list are not to everyone’s taste (some may not be completely unique to Spain either), they will certainly inspire you to think laterally about your career options in España.

Ham slicer

There is a special place in every Spaniard’s heart for jamón serrano and ibérico. Indeed this delicious cured meat is such serious business here that having a top notch cortador, or professional cutter, is an honour that every quality Spanish restaurant aspires to. Regular competitions are held, in which speed and slice thinness are put to the test. Cortadores can expect to earn anywhere between €1,000 and €2,000 depending on experience.

Bull scout

Loved by some, loathed by others, bullfighting is a long-held tradition in Spain that thrives on the crowds who come to watch a spectacle involving a burly, half-tonne beast whose upkeep is costly and whose lifespan is limited. Bull scouts are among the many hidden professionals in bullfighting. These veedores (talent scouts) make a good living by simply choosing which fighting bulls should face the toreros in the ring. Another perk of the job is that it only involves working for the six months that the bullfighting seasons lasts.

For some this occupation is a load of bull, but it certainly is quintessentially Spanish. (Photo by CRISTINA QUICLER / AFP)
 

Churro maker

If you’ve been to Spain, you’ve probably tried churros. These long fried-dough pastries sprinkled with sugar and dipped in hot chocolate are, quite frankly, awesome. You won’t have to look around for too long before stumbling upon a churrería. Once there, you’ll find the churreros, the people who fry the tasty snacks and give them their elongated shape. Madrid’s iconic Chololatería San Ginés is so popular with tourists the owners even set up new branches in Tokyo, Bogotá, Shanghai, Mexico City and next in is Miami.

Expect to pick up a few kilos if you’re working with churros and chocolate all day. (Photo by RAFA RIVAS / AFP)
 

Feria dressmaker

The ferias, or fairs, of Spain may look like a lot of people having a whale of a time but there’s some serious business going on as well. Spaniards fork out big money on traditional costumes to look their best at these events and there is more than enough demand to keep the top class makers of flamenca dresses in work all year around. A dressmaker for Spain’s Feria de Abril can expect to sell a traje de flamenca for at least €600.

Designers will need to add plenty of flair to Seville’ April fair dresses. (Photo by CRISTINA QUICLER / AFP)
 

Sherry educator

Learning how to make your own wine may be an option in other parts of the world, but there’s only one place to get properly qualified in the sherry business: Jerez. Head to the Andalusian town where this fortified wine is originally from and get taught by official sherry educators. 

You could also consider becoming a master venenciador (master sommelier of Spanish white wine sherry) so that you can show off your wine-pouring skills at parties. 

Expect plenty of pouring but little drinking on the job as a sherry connoisseur. (Photo by YOSHIKAZU TSUNO / AFP)
 

Goose barnacle fisher

Percebeiros, who mainly hail from Galicia’s rugged coastal towns and villages, have arguably one of the most dangerous jobs in Spain.

Percebes (goose barnacles) may be odd-looking crustaceans but they’re considered a delicacy that sells for around €60 a kilo at Christmas. 

That explains why Galician men and women are willing to forage for percebes as they clamber over slippery rocks while waves crash into them. It’s certainly not a job for the faint of heart.

The stakes are high for percerbeiros. (Photo by MIGUEL RIOPA / AFP)
 

Fallas designer

Can you believe that there’s an official vocational training course focused on Fallas design and building on the Spanish government website? For those not in the know, the Fallas are the name that Valencia’s most iconic festival goes by, which also refers to the giant and beautiful satirical effigies made out of polystyrene, cardboard or wood. All of them except the winner are set alight after weeks if not months of work. Is this the perfect job for perfectionist sculptors and artists?

Falla designers get to poke fun at the powerful, as seen with this one depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin next to North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un. Photo: José Jordan/AFP

Almadraba fisher

Almadraba is an ancient way of trapping and catching Atlantic bluefin tuna which was created by the Phoenicians and then perfected by the Moors during their conquest of Spain. It survives only in Murcia and parts of the southern Andalusian coast (as well as in pockets of Portugal and Morocco). Net barriers are set up to guide and trap tuna migrating from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. it’s hard work and very seasonal, but there are attempts to keep almadraba alive by the Spanish government, which is planning to give it ‘cultural interest’ status.

A fisherman hauls out tuna during the Almadraba in Barbate, southern Spain. (Photo by CRISTINA QUICLER / AFP)
 

Octopus chef

Another seafood occupation from Galicia, pulpeiros and pulpeiras are the people who truly know how to prepare the delicious pulpo a feira dish (boiled in traditional copper pans and cut up into bite-sized pieces and seasoned with olive oil and paprika), from knowing how to ‘scare’ it (the process of dipping the octopus for a few seconds in order for its tentacles to curl) to how long to boil it, fry it or season it.

“Pulpeiros” (octopus’ cooks) prepare the world’s biggest octopus tapa (snack) cooked in Carballino, on August 7, 2018.  (Photo by MIGUEL RIOPA / AFP)
 

Roaming knife sharpener

A dying profession that’s been around for centuries, afiladores can be heard approaching from far away because of the high-pitched whistle that they blow to let people that they can have their blunt knives sharpened on the spot. In cities like Seville they sing ‘El Afilaaao’ over and over again. These roaming metalworkers carry their tools and the buffing wheel on the back of mopeds or bicycles.

Painting by Baroque artist Antonio de Puga circa 1640, depicting a Spanish knife sharpener with all his gear on a wheelbarrow. Image: Wikipedia/Public Domain
 

.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

POLITICS

Which Catalans want independence from Spain?

Catalan separatist politicians have taken on kingmaker roles in Spanish politics in recent months, but Catalans themselves increasingly see independence as unlikely. Which Catalans still support independence and which don't?

Published: 10 May 2024 11:39 CEST
Which Catalans want independence from Spain?

Catalan separatists are playing an increasingly crucial role in politics at the national level in Spain, but the vast majority of Catalans themselves see the prospect of independence as increasingly unlikely.

This is according to annual survey data released by the Institute of Political and Social Sciences (ICPS) in Catalonia, which revealed that just 5 percent of Catalans polled believe that an independent Catalonia will ever become a reality. In 2015 that figure was 17 percent.

The survey also confirmed that support for independence (39.5 percent) remains well below support for staying within Spain (52.5 percent). Catalans will go to the polls in regional elections on May 12th in a vote many view as crucial for the stability of the national government.

Catalan pro-independence parties, namely Junts per Cataluyna and Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, have essentially become kingmakers in Spanish politics following July 2023’s general election result and subsequent amnesty deal offered by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to cling onto power.

READ ALSO:

Often when the Catalan question is discussed, particularly in the context of national politics, broad strokes statements are made about the people and politics in the region. Catalans are all separatists, some say. Some even say they are terrorists, or that only far-left radicals want independence.

But who really still wants independence? What are the demographics behind Catalan separatism, and what does it tell us about the future of the movement?

Age breakdown

A study by the Generalitat revealed that younger voters, between 16- 42, generally show less enthusiasm for independence than older voters. Young people are more likely to show preference for the current model (of Catalonia as a region within Spain) rather than full independence, according to a survey by the Catalan Centre for Opinion Studies (CEO) cited by El País.

CEO polling groups respondents by age, the ‘silent generation’ (over 78); ‘baby boomers’ (between 59 and 77); ‘generation X’ (between 43 and 58); ‘millennials’ (between 27 and 42) and ‘generation Z’ (between 16 and 26).

The results were stark. When asked “what should be the relationship between Catalonia and Spain” the preference for independence only exceeded 30 percent among baby boomers (34 percent) and generation X (32 percent). But even within these age groups, the most pro-independence, a fully-independent Catalonia barely convinced more than a quarter to a third of respondents.

Among younger people, however, regional autonomy was the preferred option for millennials (28 percent) and generation Z (29 percent), ahead of an independent Catalonia, which appealed to 26 percent and 23 percent respectively. Interestingly, in this sense young people are closer to their grandparents’ views than to their parents’ generation on the question of independence. Among the silent generation, regional autonomy within Spain had 33 percent support, and 27 percent supported an independent Catalonia.

A demonstrator waves a half-Spanish and half-Senyera flag during a protest by far-right party Vox against the government in Barcelona in 2020. (Photo by Pau Barrena / AFP)

Young men

Furthermore, delving further into the graphics, it becomes clear that young men are some of the least likely people to support Catalan independence. A survey published by Òmnium points to “a marked conservative movement and a move away from the fundamental values of sovereignty among the country’s youth” more generally but specifically among young men.

Young men, the study demonstrates, are the most ‘espanyolistas’ in the region, in other words, the least favourable towards Catalan independence and most likely to be pro-centralisation and Spanish. They are also the ones who view using the Catalan language as a lesser priority. However, this isn’t an isolated policy issue, and young men in the region are also more likely to be sceptical about climate change, the least in favour of paying taxes, the least feminist, and those who perceive the threat of the extreme right as the least relevant.

The study termed this the ‘derechización‘ (what we might call the ‘right-wingisation’ in English) of young men, a trend across the rest of the country and the world in recent years.

Class and income

Income and social class also play a role in pro-separatist politics, and the data suggests that separatism is more popular among people self-describing as ‘comfortably off’.

According to data from the CEO cited by El País in 2017, the real flashpoint of separatist politics in Catalonia, around a third (32 percent) of Catalans earning less than €900 were in favour of independence. However, over half (53 percent) of respondents earning €1,800 or more per month were pro-independence, while 54 percent of the wealthy (monthly income of €4,000 or more per month) wanted to see an independent Catalonia.

This also ties into educational level and class. Data compiled by the London School of Economics shows that independence is most popular among the highly educated (secondary and university levels), something that makes higher incomes levels more attainable and upward social mobility more likely.

Catalan origins

Interestingly, it seems that Catalans born outside Catalonia are more likely to be on lower incomes and therefore less likely to hold pro-separatist views. There also seems to be evidence that having a multi-generational Catalan background makes you more likely to be pro-independence.

As El País states, “even more glaring is the relationship between background and pro-independence sentiment. Among third generation Catalans – those with both parents and all four grandparents born in Catalonia – support for independence rises to 75 percent.”

“But this figure drops drastically when it comes to families with more varied backgrounds. Support for independence stands at 49 percent among those with one parent from outside the region and drops to 29 percent among children of immigrants.”

Geography

Geography also plays a role. As these municipality map breakdowns by RTVE show, if the population living in each area is taken into account, as in the second map, you can see that in the largest municipalities, such as Barcelona and its surrounding metropolitan area, the non-nationalist bloc holds the greatest electoral weight.

The maps are stark, but population even things even out: in municipalities where there was a nationalist or pro-independence majority in 2021, found largely in the country and smaller towns, slightly over 3 million Catalans live; but in the big cities, where people are more likely to be sceptical, that figure is almost 5 million.

As the Royal Elcano Institute put it in its analysis of the post-2017 political chaos, Catalan independence bucks the traditional rural/urban split: “While Scottish independence is viewed more favourably in big cities, in Catalonia the territorial divide is the reverse: rural areas register a majority in favour of independence, with urban areas having a majority against.”

SHOW COMMENTS