Decisive action takes place after the announcement

Following Northvolt's announcement of redundancies, Skellefteå Municipality has made a number of important efforts to ensure that the work force remains in the region. This includes identifying what consequences Northvolt's redundancy and pause in expansion will have for local businesses, organising matching events and collaborating with a number of actors throughout the region to address the issue from different angles.

’Skellefteå Municipality has a very important role, together with a number of other actors, in ensuring that skills remain, and that work started as soon as we received the notice of redundancy. In this situation, it is important that we act quickly to help those affected in the best way we can,’ says Kristina Sundin Jonsson, head of Skellefteå Municipality.

The work to help those affected by the redundancy notices and the consequences of the expansion pause is being carried out in several ways. A steering group involving Skellefteå Municipality, Västerbotten County Administrative Board, Västerbotten County Council, the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth and the Swedish Public Employment Service has been set up and is working to respond quickly to various challenges in both the short and long term. The steering group is also working closely with the Swedish government to find sustainable solutions for the people affected by the notice.

All organisations within Skellefteå Municipality and the municipal companies have reviewed their work on skills supply. This will in turn lead to planned job advertisements being posted earlier, and several organisations reviewing which skills they need. A survey of job vacancies in the municipality, including both public and private sectors, is also being conducted.

’We know that the job opportunities in Skellefteå are very good, which is also reflected in the fact that we have had the country's lowest unemployment rate for a long time. A large part of the work and effort ahead will be about meeting the people affected by this and finding them new jobs. At the same time, we need the right conditions to do this, which is why it is very important that we have support from the state and the government in this crucial work,’ says Kristina Sundin Jonsson.

Planned and ongoing activities

• A request has been sent to the Minister of Labour to enable a pilot project to quickly validate, retrain or supplement skills to contribute to the urgent skills supply. In this situation, it is not advisable to wait until people have become unemployed and registered with the Public Employment Service (Arbetsfömedlingen). This can be done through support from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers.
• Matching events are planned involving Skellefteå Municipality, the Public Employment Service (Arbetsfömedlingen) and the business community.
• The Welcome House is a digital and physical meeting place where newcomers can get guidance and advice. Since the notice from Northvolt was announced, their opening hours have been extended to meet the demand. Skellefteå Municipality has seen an increase in the number of visits and expects an even greater increase.
• A special website with relevant information related to Northvolt has been created and is available on Skellefteå Municipality's website.
• The Business Office has increased its availability with open days for the business community and increased its digital presence and the sharing of information.
• A steering group has been reactivated to employ people who do not speak Swedish in Skellefteå Municipality's activities. It was started during the time the municipality employed people from Ukraine.
• Just a few days after the announcement, the Meals Department organised a speed dating event to meet people who might be considered for employment. The event had been planned before the announcement.
• The Municipality of Skellefteå will investigate whether those on notice can be matched to advertised positions and positions that will be advertised.
• Skellefteå Municipality's Business Office has met with all the business managers in Västerbotten, Norrbotten and Örnsköldsvik. The meeting was organised to get an updated picture of the situation and to coordinate future activities to keep skills in the region.
• The Business Office has been in contact with many of the local subcontractors affected by the suspension of expansion at Northvolt. The activities planned by the municipality are open to all those affected, regardless of their employer.

Background

• The Municipality of Skellefteå is at the centre of Europe's fastest growing region. This is, among other things, reflected in the enormous demand for skills in many different industries and professions. Both in the private sector and in the public sector.
• Skellefteå has the lowest unemployment rate in Sweden at 2.8 percent, compared to the national rate of 6.8 percent (the numbers are from the Swedish Public Employment Service in August of this year).
• One of Skellefteå Municipality's top priorities is the supply of skills in the municipality, and this work has now been scaled up.
• As an employer, Skellefteå Municipality has large recruitment needs. Especially in the areas of care, support and services, and pre-school. But there is also a need for cooks, various engineers and IT specialists.