The industrial investment in Västerbotten and Norrbotten is in full swing, and generates many job opportunities. Not least in Skellefteå, where the Northvolt battery factory is expected to employ 4,000 people when the factory is completed, which is estimated to be 2026 at the earliest.
Two who chose to move there are the couple Helda and Mario Freitas, who a year ago chose to leave Brazil for Skellefteå after they both got jobs at Northvolt.
“Risks of losing attractiveness”
But it is not only the factories that need to hire, but labor is also needed to cover an increasing need in, for example, healthcare, schools and care.
Ida Rönnblom at Arbetsförmedlingen sees that there is great interest in working with the green transition in industry. However, it is significantly more difficult to find people who are prepared to move for a job in the public sector.
– What risks happening is that we lose our attractiveness. Nobody wants to move to a place where it is not possible to get childcare, says Ida Rönnblom.
The municipality is asking for support
What happens if not enough people move to Skellefteå, the chairman of the municipal board Lorents Burman (S) does not want to speculate about.
– We cannot work according to that scenario, but we have a goal that we will succeed with this. But we also need greater support from the state authorities, says Lorents Burman (S), chairman of the municipal board in Skellefteå.
Helda and Mario Freitas are expecting their first child. For them, it is important that the social functions in the city work – then they will stay.
– Skellefteå is a really good place for families, and especially for children to grow up in, says Mario.
Labor market minister Johan Pehrson is coming to Agenda 21.15 in SVT2 to talk about how to solve the labor shortage in connection with the industrial investment in the north.