Sweden’s unemployment rate has climbed up to 8.5 percent. Youth unemployment is 29 percent. But half of the country’s companies do not find applicants for their advertised vacancies.
In a report, Swedish Enterprise has asked over 4,000 member companies if they want to grow and what prevents them. Eight out of ten companies want to grow. But nine out of ten do not grow, due to different obstacles.
The lack of skills is identified as the most common problem, but it is not primarily about academics and experts, but there are no bus drivers, chefs, and construction workers.
The biggest obstacle is that there are no people with practical vocational education.
– It is alarming that in the midst of a burning recession, over half of the country’s companies say they are prevented from growing, because they do not find the right skills. says Sven-Olof Daunfeldt, chief economist at Swedish Enterprise.
Bureaucracy and housing shortage
There are also other obstacles. Small businesses in trade and tourism often point to bureaucracy and high employer contributions. In Norrland, housing shortages are the biggest obstacle to growth.
In Skåne and Blekinge, companies grow better, but there the electricity supply is a concern. The most difficult thing has companies in Jämtland, Dalarna, Sörmland and Kalmar County to grow. There, except for a lack of skills, they point to a lack of infrastructure. Difficulties with transport of goods and goods and time -consuming work commuting.
Students are accused of reading the wrong education
But the lack of skills exists throughout the country. Swedish Enterprise believes that Sweden’s education policy has an unfortunate impact page.
For many, theoretical education at colleges that do not give jobs, says Sven-Olof Daunfeldt.
– We do not train for the needs of business. You have had to choose the education you want to read, and parents encourage higher education, but what companies need are practical professional skills. This is where there are jobs.