Skills shortage worst in Norrbotten

Luleå Eight out of ten companies in Norrbotten that need to recruit staff have difficulty finding the right skills. This is the highest figure in the country.

It shows the employer and industry organization Svenskt Näringslivs survey Företagarpanelen.

About 76 percent of companies in Norrbotten want to grow. But they face significant obstacles to growth. By far the biggest obstacle is a lack of skills. Around 74 percent of companies in Norrbotten have tried to recruit over the past six months, and of those, 81 percent have had difficulty finding staff with the right skills.

"The demand for people with upper secondary vocational education stands out in almost all industries. And Norrbotten is the county that has the most difficulty recruiting in the whole country. “Various measures are needed to turn this around, but it also requires an appreciation of practical vocational skills, so that more people become aware of the career opportunities they actually provide,” says Hans Andersson, Regional Director of Svenskt Näringsliv in Norrbotten.

The greatest demand is for workers with vocational training at upper secondary level. Many companies are also calling for more and better vocational training. It is also important to increase interest in the vocational training that already exists, says Svenskt Näringsliv.

Lennart Håkansson

editor@northswedenbusiness.com