New project strengthens elite athletes' opportunity for "dual careers"

Luleå University of Technology is now expanding its close collaboration with sports associations and top coaches. A new project will make it easier for young athletes to combine a sports career with education or work. – The project will help more people choose Norrbotten, says Helena Ölund (S), chairwoman of the regional development committee.

This will be done by establishing a competence center at Luleå University of Technology (LTU). From the start, the project will concern the sports of alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing and ski orienteering. The competence centers that will be started up cover education, research and innovation.

The project is being implemented in collaboration between the university, the business community, sports clubs, sports federations, civil society and municipalities. One of the goals is for LTU to gain the status of National Sports University.

There has already been an investment at Luleå University of Technology in cross-country skiing and ski orienteering.

“This is where they will want to move”

– In Norrbotten, you should be able to live, reside and develop as an elite athlete by investing in dual careers. Boys and girls should be able to combine elite sports and studies or work and sports. Elite athletes should be able to choose to stay here – and this is where they should want to move, says Joakim Abrahamsson, former national captain of the Swedish cross-country skiing team and project manager for the new competence center.

In the new competence center, even more research is linked to elite sports activities at the university. New knowledge quickly reaches students but will also reach everything from sports associations, clubs to sports high schools.

In addition, cooperation with business, municipalities and the Norrbotten Region is being intensified to maximize the effect of dual careers on site in Norrbotten. This involves improving these conditions by offering job opportunities, career transitions and trainee programs. LKAB will make a special effort towards alpine skiing at Luleå University of Technology.

“Welcome addition”

– The project will help more people choose Norrbotten for studies and work, which will be a welcome addition to our labor market. We also believe that in the long term it will be a boost for sports facilities and sports clubs around the county, and that in turn will benefit our young people and their health, says Helena Ölund, chair of the regional development committee.

Partners and co-financiers in the new competence center are Region Norrbotten, the Swedish Alpine Ski Association, the Swedish Biathlon Association, the Swedish Cross-Country Ski Association, the Swedish Orienteering Association, the County Administrative Board of Norrbotten, Sparbanken Nord, LKAB, the Municipality of Boden and the Municipality of Luleå. Region Norrbotten is co-financing the initiative with SEK 3,2 million.