Skill Shift Initiative launches the second round of forest management training for unemployed people – this time in Östersund and in collaboration with SCA
Skill Shift Initiative mobilizes temporarily available human resources in Sweden to support sectors that are under pressure or in need of urgent assistance as a result of the Coronavirus crisis.
Foreign labor plays an important role in Swedish agriculture and forestry today. In recent weeks there has been great debate about the lack of seasonal workers to the green sector, agriculture, and the forest as a result of countries in Europe closing their borders due to the global Coronavirus pandemic.
Two weeks ago, 25 people took part in Skill Shift Initiative’s pilot round in forest history, tree-planting, reforestation techniques and logistics. The course took place in Stockholm. Participants were new arrivals to Sweden and young people with functional diversity, two groups who find themselves even farther from the employment market as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. The training attracted considerable attention and was visited by the Minister for Employment Eva Nordmark and CEOs from the green industries.
– When SCA and our forestry companies were looking to hire tree planting workers we received a huge response, says SCA’s Chief Forester Ola Kårén. This initiative provides people who want to work in forest management with skills and a path toward employment. We hope that many of those who have completed this training will continue to work with forestry this season and return to forest management in the seasons to come.
Starting May 12 Skill Shift Initiative will conduct training in the forest around Östersund for 45 unemployed people. Dalslands Skogsskola and Svensk Skogsservice are responsible for the curriculum and three forest owners are providing the land to be reforested. Funding for this round is provided by SCA and companies participating in Skill Shift Initiative.
– This is a complex issue and there is a very great need for experienced, highly skilled people from abroad – the Zlatans of tree planting – in order to ensure that 350 million trees are planted this year, says Fredrik Hillelson CEO of Novare and co-founder of Skill Shift Initiative. We hope that we can help resolve this issue for the forest industry this season, and we also see the importance of getting more Swedes interested in a future in the forest industry in order to maintain tree planting and forest management now and in the future.
– We need a competent, professional crew who can work with forest management throughout the season – from May to October, says forest contractor Markus Brugge, at Brugge Skogstjänst. We hope this project will result in a number of workers who want to work for us long term.
Contact
SCA: Ola Kårén, Chief Forester
+46(0)705-26 52 08, ola.karen@sca.com
Brugge Skogstjänst: Markus Brugge, CEO
+46(0)706-79 92 04, markus@bruggeskog.se
Dalslands Skogsskola/Svensk Skogsservice: Joakim Gustafsson, CEO
+46(0)733-90 22 20, joakim@svenskskogsservice.se
Skill Shift Initiative: David Löfvendahl, Communication Manager Novare
+46(0)761-14 56 01, david.lofvendahl@novare.se
Skill Shift Initiative
Skill Shift Initiative mobilizes temporarily available human resources in Sweden to support sectors that are under pressure or in need of urgent assistance as a result of the Coronavirus crisis. www.beredskapslyftet.se/english