Our positions

We believe that collaboration between school and business should be strengthened

Photo ltr: Epiroc, CC, Epiroc, CC, Boliden

Svemin works actively to ensure that our member companies receive the skills they need. An important part of this is to develop collaboration between school, college and business and to influence young people’s choice of education.

One of Svemin’s priority issues is the provision of skills. An important reason for this is of course the development, not least in terms of technological innovations, that the industry is experiencing. It is not only established companies that develop and expand their operations, but we also see new players and start-ups. This, together with declining schooling in high school, large retirement retirements and a reduced interest in vocational education, means that in the mining industry we must show what great opportunities there are for a youth who choose such education. Competition for qualified labor is increasing, it is important to stand out. The mining industry is an industry at the forefront of technological development, this applies, for example, to remote control of various machines in the mining environment.

As young people’s interest in industrial technical education is declining, we also see the need for alternative educational paths. Svemin’s focus on skills provision is to work for increased interest in education that leads to work in the mining industry and to influence decision-makers at various levels to start or maintain the necessary education. We work purposefully on issues related to sustainability and diversity and therefore look positively at, for example, initiatives to facilitate recruitment of skills among new arrivals. Such recruitment also contributes positively to increased diversity in the workplaces.

Through our employers’ association, the Industrial Employers, we support the Teknikcollege, a model for strengthening vocational training in industry and technology. The Technology College is run within the framework of the Industry Council, where most of the industry’s parties are present. Teknikcollege is a stamp of quality that shows that several municipalities and educational providers together with the industry in a region develop education based on the demands of the companies within the industry.

We also collaborate with the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, other employers’ associations and industry organizations, such as the Jernkontoret, in this work. Internationally, there is an exchange in the field of expertise.

In the skills supply area, Svemin works for:

  • Influence organizers of higher education to ensure relevant educational content
  • Through information and networking influence young people to train for professions aimed at the mining industry
  • A high quality high school that meets the needs of companies
  • Increased commitment and better collaboration between school and business
  • A high school that in collaboration with the companies should be able to offer an education that is adapted to the companies in the region
  • In the area of ​​vocational training, create regional competence centers, such as Teknikcollege
  • An increased student interest in education relevant to the mining industry at various educational levels
  • An explanation of what it means to operate in the mining industry and what requirements it places
  • To disseminate information on various alternative educational opportunities, such as fast tracks for newly arrived graduates