With a master's degree in AI and robotics, MD Furkanul Islam is overqualified for Skellefteå municipality's IT support unit. However, the municipality's initiative aims to retain Northvolt's expertise within the country.
If a student in Skellefteå has trouble with their computer, MD Furkanul Islam might be the one to fix it. He is one of two former Northvolt employees who have been hired by the municipality’s IT department.
– Of course, they are highly overqualified for the work they’ll be doing here, admits IT support manager Tommy Hunesjö without hesitation.
But Islam doesn’t mind the tasks.
– As long as it’s related to my field and involves computers, I’m happy, he says.
After completing his master’s degree in Örebro, Islam moved to Skellefteå and started working at Northvolt early last year. It didn’t take long for him to realize that something was amiss at the company.
– I joked with a colleague that “one day they’ll be able to shoot a horror movie here, because it’s going to be completely deserted,” says Islam.
In his view, Northvolt’s downfall was caused by overly aggressive expansion combined with a failure to utilize employees’ skills effectively.
– If you have a degree, it should be valued. But Northvolt placed people randomly. Some had medical backgrounds from labs—who should have been working in quality control—but they were assigned to drive forklifts or clean equipment instead.
After completing his master’s degree in Örebro, Islam moved to Skellefteå and started working at Northvolt early last year. It didn’t take long for him to realize that something was amiss at the company.
– I joked with a colleague that “one day they’ll be able to shoot a horror movie here, because it’s going to be completely deserted,” says Islam.
In his view, Northvolt’s downfall was caused by overly aggressive expansion combined with a failure to utilise employees’ skills effectively.
– If you have a degree, it should be valued. But Northvolt placed people randomly. Some had medical backgrounds from labs—who should have been working in quality control - but they were assigned to drive forklifts or clean equipment instead.
The battery factory area in Skellefteå is vast. Around 3,000 people still work here.
Of the 15 people in his friend group from Northvolt, he is the only one still living in the area.
– There are many highly skilled people who are leaving.
Despite his criticism, he felt sorrow upon hearing Northvolt's bankruptcy announcement on Wednesday.
– I can feel the employees' stress. So many have brought their families here, settled down, bought houses, and invested two years. Now they have to find new jobs, and with today's unemployment rates, it's going to be very difficult, he says.