Bereket Ghebremedhin enjoys living in Skellefteå. "It's a really quiet community."
During the summer of 2024, the social welfare office employed 20 "trial workers" in care and support roles, divided across two different projects. In the "Test Job and Live" project, travel and accommodation were covered by Arbetsförmedlingen (the Swedish Employment Agency). Meanwhile, the "Work and Live in Skellefteå" project offered accommodation provided by the municipality of Skellefteå.
One of the participating care homes, Brogården in Skellefteå, welcomed three trial workers. Impressively, all three decided to stay on after the summer. Bereket Ghebremedhin shared his journey with Norran, explaining how he came to choose Skellefteå. Although he previously lived in Kristianstad, 1,300 kms south, a friend's move to Arvidsjaur sparked his interest in northern Sweden.
Bereket began researching Skellefteå municipality online and found their website to be informative and comprehensive. Through this research, he discovered the job opening at Brogården and successfully secured the position after two interviews.
The municipality offered him temporary housing on Campus during the summer and when the summer was over, Bereket had made up his mind - he wanted to stay in Skellefteå.
– It's much calmer here than in southern Sweden. I have two young children, and I want them to grow up in this peaceful environment. I believe children thrive better in a place like this.
He enjoys having nature right on his doorstep and finds Skellefteå pleasant, at least in the summer.
–I’ve heard the winters are long with a lot of snow. It’ll be exciting to experience. I’ve never skied before, so I’d like to try it.
Now, the only thing left is to find a permanent home, so his family can move up and settle. But that's easier said than done. Bereket has had short-term leases and moved between different apartments. Finding a new place is proving difficult. He’s on the waiting lists at Skebo and Heimstaden and regularly checks Facebook.
–Unfortunately, many apartments are sublet for very high rents. And you have no choice but to pay.
Bereket Ghebremedhin is working hard to bring his family up to join him. "Of course, I miss them."
Bereket works almost all the time. He works as a temp at Brogården and drives a taxi, all with the goal of being able to afford a home for his family. They haven’t visited Skellefteå yet, and since Bereket moved, he’s only seen them online
– Of course, I miss them.
His partner is studying to become a chef, and it looks like there could be job opportunities for her in Skellefteå. The whole family is on board with the move.
What have you told them about Skellefteå?
– I don't lie to them when I say it's mostly really good. Down south, you hear that people in northern Sweden are boring and hard to talk to, but that's not true: here, you can talk to everyone. And there are plenty of great places for social life, like the Sara kulturhus and Welcome House. The only downside is the housing shortage. And it's annoying that the E4 runs through the city; it’s not ideal when driving a taxi (laughs). But there are lots of jobs here, and the most important thing for me is that it's a good place for the kids. There are many reasons to stay in Skellefteå.
According to Inger Engström, HR strategist at the social services office, the project aimed to manage the summer workload in care and social services, and it has been successful. The participants have been "hugely positive."
– We have followed up with all the participants and received positive feedback. Some have expressed interest in relocating to Skellefteå but have mentioned the challenges of finding affordable housing. We are very pleased that they chose to participate in the project and hope that many will be interested in returning if similar opportunities arise next summer.