Shared knowledge will strengthen the supply of skills in Norrbotten
How do we ensure that training, initiatives and decisions meet the real needs of the labor market? This is one of the questions raised when Region Norrbotten participates at Norra Scen during Almedalen Week.
During the seminar “Competence and education without geographical barriers - how do we reach the whole country?” The Kompetensarena Norrbotten project, which is co-financed by the European Union, is an example of how collaboration and knowledge can contribute to better decisions.
To meet the needs, Kompetensarena Norrbotten brought together employers, education providers, municipalities, authorities and other public actors to create a common picture of the county's skills supply. When they then mapped their skills needs, the result was clear: the challenge is about much more than matching job seekers with vacancies.
- No single actor sees the whole picture. Employers see their needs, education actors their assignments and municipalities their conditions. Only when we gather knowledge do we get a common picture that can be used to make better decisions, says Janus Brandin, regional development director at Region Norrbotten.
More than a matching problem
Despite low unemployment, many employers are struggling to find the right workforce. At the same time, businesses need to develop the skills of existing employees.
"It's not just about matching, but about capacity in the entire system. We need to both recruit more people and create better opportunities for skills development, while the education system needs to be able to meet needs faster and more flexibly," says Janus Brandin.
Kompetensarena Norrbotten will contribute to the knowledge from surveys and analyses being translated into concrete decisions and actions. By having more actors working from the same knowledge base, it will be easier to plan training and direct actions where the needs are greatest.
"What happens in northern Sweden is crucial for the entire country's competitiveness and transition. Therefore, national decisions about education and skills supply need to be based to a greater extent on the regional reality," says Janus Brandin.
Text: Charlotte Norenius Högnelid
Listen to the conversation on Norra scen
On June 24 at 11:00 am, you can listen to the conversation at Norra Scen, Fiskargränd 5, in Visby. The seminar can also be followed digitally.
More information about the seminar