Worker shortage in three quarters of Swedish professions: Public Employment Agency
There is continued high pressure on the Swedish job market, with a shortage of workers in three quarters of sectors, according to the Swedish Public Employment Service.
Employers in both the private and public sector are struggling to recruit staff.
"It's an incredibly large shortage. There's a shortage in three quarters of the 200 occupations that we assess," said Annelie Almérus, an analyst at the agency.
What characterizes the current situation is that there is a widespread shortage of trained workers in many sectors rather than just specific areas or those which require a long period of training. There has been a shortage of doctors and nurses in Sweden for a long time, for example, but over the last few years the shortage has increased strikingly for jobs that need an upper secondary qualification.
"The labour market has now been very good for a long time, and the number of people with upper secondary education who are unemployed has fallen a lot. The ones remaining are those who have had only a short training period," Almérus said.
Another consequence of the shortage is that it takes employers a longer time to recruit staff. Some employers, particularly those in the public sector, have therefore begun relaxing requirements on experience.
This means there are increased opportunities for many people, and it is becoming easier for people who early on in their careers or newly qualified to find a job.
The sectors with the greatest shortage vary slightly from region to region. In Stockholm county, the three professions most in need of workers are civil engineers, mechanical machinery assemblers, and trained nurses.
In Skåne, civil engineers still have the highest chance of finding work, with electricians and preschool teachers the next most in demand.
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Employers in both the private and public sector are struggling to recruit staff.
"It's an incredibly large shortage. There's a shortage in three quarters of the 200 occupations that we assess," said Annelie Almérus, an analyst at the agency.
What characterizes the current situation is that there is a widespread shortage of trained workers in many sectors rather than just specific areas or those which require a long period of training. There has been a shortage of doctors and nurses in Sweden for a long time, for example, but over the last few years the shortage has increased strikingly for jobs that need an upper secondary qualification.
"The labour market has now been very good for a long time, and the number of people with upper secondary education who are unemployed has fallen a lot. The ones remaining are those who have had only a short training period," Almérus said.
Another consequence of the shortage is that it takes employers a longer time to recruit staff. Some employers, particularly those in the public sector, have therefore begun relaxing requirements on experience.
This means there are increased opportunities for many people, and it is becoming easier for people who early on in their careers or newly qualified to find a job.
The sectors with the greatest shortage vary slightly from region to region. In Stockholm county, the three professions most in need of workers are civil engineers, mechanical machinery assemblers, and trained nurses.
In Skåne, civil engineers still have the highest chance of finding work, with electricians and preschool teachers the next most in demand.
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