Simon Dahlgren, operations manager at adult education in Skellefteå, is pleased with the news.
The grant is intended for municipalities that have, or are facing, significant business establishments or expansions. In total, the initiative is equivalent to about 2,000 study places. The exact share that Skellefteå will receive is still unclear, but according to Simon Dahlgren it will be a significant amount.
– We have been lobbying for this kind of funding for a year and a half. We shouldn't take all the credit, but I would imagine that we have contributed significantly to the government's proposal, he says.
Dahlgren emphasizes that the grant would make things easier in many ways. Typically, the government covers about 70 percent of the cost of each individual student, with the student's home municipality covering the remaining 30 percent. This can create some bureaucratic challenges if a student is registered outside the municipality of Skellefteå.
– For example, if someone wants to study to become an automation operator but is registered in Östersund, we would have to send an application there to see if the municipality is willing to co-finance the costs.
– With the government's new proposal, we can avoid that. We can admit students directly without having to consult their home communities. This opens up completely new possibilities for recruitment, he says.
According to the government's proposal, the grant will be paid from 2024.
"The demand for skilled workers is growing in northern Sweden. To meet this need, the government is launching this special education initiative," says minister for employment and integration Johan Pehrson in a press release.