Business & Money

Sweden allocates billions to fight unemployment

Published: 26 Aug 09 13:01 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/21702/20090826/

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The Swedish government has promised to find 8.4 billion kronor ($1.19 billion) to fund education and training measures designed to combat growing unemployment.

The four Alliance government parties have announced after talks that 4.5 billion kronor will be allocated for an additional 23,000 training places in 2010 and 2011, and a further 3.9 billion kronor on 54,000 places in various employment measure schemes for the unemployed.

Around two billion kronor of the funds will be spent on creating 40,000 places in a new activation programme which within state, county council and non-profit organizations is being called "Lyft"(Lift).

"Lyft" should be made available for a maximum of six months for people currently engaged within the work and development guarantee, and for three months for young unemployed.

The initiative will be focused on sectors such as the environment, forestry, cultural heritage, health and welfare and schools.

The Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen) will be given an additional 600 million kronor.

620 million kronor will be used to create 2,000 new places within coaching, work experience and practical skills development. 225 million will fund 1,000 new places in labour market training schemes.

The package of measures also includes a specific investment for Folk High Schools which will cover 1,000 training places and will cost 51 million kronor.

Two billion kronor will underwrite 10,000 new places within both academic and vocational education at adult education colleges.

440 million kronor has been allocated to 3,000 new places within vocational high school from the autumn of 2010 and 2011. A total of 6,000 people will therefore be able to undergo courses.

Two billion kronor will be spent on the creation of new university places in 2010 and 2011. The money equates to a 20 percent increase in university and university college intake.

Education minister Jan Björklund concedes that the government parties were critical of the expansion of places while in opposition but pointed out that their initiative promises more money per student.

"It is better that the young study than loaf about in times of unemployment," Björklund said.

"There is a risk that a third of the unemployed get stuck and remain in some form of unemployment," the prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt told a press conference in Stockholm on Wednesday.

"The core strategy to meet this is with education, often vocational, and active labour market policies."

Fredrik Reinfeldt denied that the government is massaging unemployment statistics by shifting people to labour market measures - a charge often levied at the previous Social Democrat government.

"What we criticized the Social Democrats for is that they had their comprehensive labour market measures during economic booms. They did not withdraw them when the good times returned. People were then just left sitting at the school desk."

TT/The Local (news@thelocal.se/08 656 6518)

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15:07 August 26, 2009 by grantike
nice progress,how far is it willing to go,i would suggest some money should go to industry and manufacturing,job creatins etc.am really sorry for some foreigners who after studying here end up cleaning,and washing after getting one or two masters,its not worth it at all.
17:56 August 26, 2009 by Thebinary1
[quote]Two billion kronor will be spent on the creation of new university places in 2010 and 2011. The money equates to a 20 percent increase in university a…[/quote]How much of this will go to overseas students?
18:21 August 26, 2009 by Str8RichandBlack
Thebinary

Many of the immigrants that come to Sweden to expand their education stay and contribute. Indeed, it is probably one of the best features that this Scandinavian country has to offer.

As for the youth unemployement I see tons of 17-21 year old Blonde lanky hair teenage kids do nothing but getting drunk and wearing dark satanic clothing. I believe their is more of a moral decline thats occuring across the Western world, yet the malise is so great no one will talk about it until they are totally extinct.

Sweden will do it self a favor by trying as much as possible to fight the apathetic feeling across the city that so many native Vikings have. As for Ex-pats and immigrants it's probably the brightest light for the future of Sweden if she try to keep them here.
00:38 August 27, 2009 by skatty
I said that the government would increase university places few months ago! As a mater of fact, government will soon push people to University, some will advise to the unemployed that their only future is University and development and they can get loan from CSN!! Government will get rid of unemployed for couple of years, at least. The old, old methods, Sweden is just on a circle of repeating itself over and over.
00:55 August 27, 2009 by EngGent
Str8RichandBlack, wow did you find that insight staring into muddy water?

Unfortunately the 'educate them more' approach does not tackle the largest problem facing Swedish graduates, that nobody wants to hire anyone without experience. How about you put some of that money into creating internships for students who currently cannot find jobs? Let's put people into working environments not waste more years in classrooms. Does anyone think this would be a bad idea?
13:09 August 27, 2009 by samwise
"The initiative will be focused on sectors such as the environment, forestry, cultural heritage, health and welfare and schools."

most of these sectors are heavily subsidized by tax dollars, aren't they?

isn't the goal of this "investment" of tax dollars to get people out of the situation of being subsidized by tax dollars in the first place?

"Two billion kronor will be spent on the creation of new university places in 2010 and 2011. "

don't think there's a problem that shortage on university positions prevents qualified, willing, hard working kids from getting in there.
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