In Focus
Not only green, but good
The Nordic countries and their companies will try to present themselves as environmentally friendly as possible during the Copenhagen Climate Summit. But what does it mean to be green? As huge investments are made in renewable energy, it’s important that other values are not sacrificed.
Copenhagen turning green
Copenhagen is aiming to turn into a green capital for business ahead of the UN climate change conference it will host in December.
Finland hopes for green jobs too
Finland has long made a living from its "green gold" - the forests - even though its pulp mills and paper production plants hardly can be called environmentally friendly.
Tomra – safe and green
The global production of bottles, cans and other drink containers tops 800 billion. Half of them end up on landfills. Recycling all this would save large amounts of energy, and cut CO2 emissions.
Norwegian Point Carbon has its finger on the pulse of emission trading
A smiling Barack Obama adorns Per Otto Wold's office coffee mug. Mr Wold is CEO at Point Carbon, a Norwegian provider of news, analysis and consulting services for the global power, gas and carbon markets. President Obama doesn't sit on his desktop by chance. The American President is on everybody's mind here.
From dirty workshop to shiny wind power factory
A group of Fredrikshamn machine assemblers and electricians are about to finish their education. They'll leave the vocational training institute in South Kymmenedalen just before Christmas, and start work with Winwind in a new factory near the docks, making wind turbines. They are specially trained to be ready when one of Finland's future industries is really getting off the ground.
Fresh cooperation creates new youth jobs
In the Swedish city of Västerås, businesses, higher education and the public sector are used to working together in the labour market. Now this cross-sector cooperation is about to benefit unemployed youth, through a project aimed at offering jobs and training to 1,000 young people without work.
Downturn hits youth hardest - Sweden takes undesirable lead
An economic downturn often hits young people fastest and hardest. The current crisis is no exception. The Nordic countries usually boast some of Europe's lowest unemployment figures. Now 27.3 percent of Swedish 15 to 24 year-olds are out of work.
Finland's new Aalto University: the entrepreneur factory
Finland's new Aalto University brings together young people who want to be entrepreneurs. Their backgrounds range from technology and economics to design. The exchange of ideas here can create a platform for a new company culture in Finland.
From outsider to employed
Morten Skov Nielsen got a job and lots of self-confidence - and he's growing with the task. ”It's much better than I'd thought”, says 24-year-old Morten Skov Nielsen.
Social entrepreneurs fighting for outsiders
At Stockholm's “Fryshuset” (the Cold Store) a 25-year-old social entrepreneurship is turning the destructive forces which often plague social outsiders to positive forces and insider status. New methods grow to meet new demands. The aim is to catch youth at risk of falling outside of society, to recognise their potential and believe in their power so that they could stay in school and later enter working life.
Employing the last unemployed
Out of a total of 25 million people in the five Nordic countries, there are now only 422,000 unemployed. April saw the Norwegian unemployment rate plummet to 1.6 per cent. Denmark is close with 1.9 per cent. The numbers for Iceland and Sweden are somewhat higher, with 2.3 and 3.2 per cent. Finland has 6.8 per cent.
Theme: The hunt for manpower is on
Will there be enough manpower when economies grow year on year while populations are ageing? No, say many employers in the Nordic countries. Their warning is that lack of manpower will jeopardise economic growth and innovation. Governments too are on the alert. Welfare states are dependent on enough workers to keep ticking over.
Fighting over the unemployed
Denmark is changing tack to attract manpower in the face of record low unemployment figures. The transport sector shows the way.
Finland: New government wants increased immigration
Finland has one of the lowest immigration rates in the EU, while its population is ageing quicker than anywhere else in the Union. That does not bode well for the country's future labour market. Now the new government wants to increase labour immigration. But the situation for those already in the country must be improved first.
Labour shortage on everyone's lips
Are we running out of manpower? After years of economic boom in the Nordic countries, an increasing number of businesses say they can no longer expand simply because there are not enough qualified people to employ. Meanwhile, a demographic problem is lurking; the large groups of people born in the 1940s are about to retire.
Chasing nurses and sailors - Norway's ethical dilemma of importing workers
The lack of skilled workers is a big problem in Norway, where unemployment has fallen to less than two percent. Healthcare and shipping might seem like very different sectors, yet both are trying to attract foreign workers.
Border-less learning
"Adult learning is a priority", said Norwegian deputy minister Åge Rosnes, when he opened the conference "Quality adult learning. A challenge for the Nordic welfare model?" It was one of many events which form part of "The Nordic Network for Adult Learning" (NVL). It begun in January 2005 as an initiative by the Nordic Council of Ministers. It's task is to develop adult learning.
Work place learning with a human face
Life-long learning is seen as the golden key to unlock the magic door to the future. Through continued competence development we shall overcome global competition and accelerating technological development, employers will find competent employees, and employees will be flexible enough to follow the windy road of development. In the long run, knowledge will secure growth and welfare.
Document Actions
Follow us on Facebook
