– It has gone beyond all expectations. I was looking forward to a new chapter. It suited me very well that I was allowed to be here, says Thea Hangård to news. Through a NAV course, the 26-year-old was introduced to the hotel profession. Now she is a permanent employee at the Quality Hotel in Tønsberg and enjoys everyday life. She says she has been very well received. – It is clear that I belong here, she says. According to NAV’s company survey for 2023, there is a great need for people like Thea. Many Norwegian businesses have trouble finding employees. 26 per cent of the businesses state that they have had recruitment problems in the last three months. 16 per cent of the businesses state that they were unable to hire anyone. 10 percent answered that they employed someone with lower or other formal qualifications. – A real problem for Norway – It is still the case that many companies in Norway lack the workforce they are looking for. So even though the labor market is somewhat less tight than it was last year at this time, there are still quite a few people who lack labour. That’s what NAV director Hans Christian Holte says. Almost 11,000 companies and enterprises have answered questions from NAV about recruitment and what employment needs they have in the coming year. According to Holte, the lack of people is a real problem for Norway. AFFECTING THE COMPANIES: NAV director Hans Christian Holte believes the lack of labor can affect Norwegian companies and enterprises. Photo: Leif Rune Løland / news – It can affect companies in business and it can also affect public service production, such as in health. At the same time, it is clear that this is a labor market where it is possible to get a job if you want it, he says. According to the survey, the estimated labor shortage in Norway is now 52,850 people. The biggest shortage is in the health and social care sector, with a total of 14,600 people. The lack of qualified labor is also significant within certain vocational subjects. This applies, among other things, to cooks, carpenters and electricians. – Certain industries have struggled for a long time, for example in health and also some in construction. And then it is probably also the case that after the pandemic there are fewer foreign workers filling the gaps in the labor market that we have had in Norway, says Hans Christian Holte. The companies themselves must provide training The NAV director believes there is one measure Norwegian companies can take to recruit people. Namely, to offer training and jobs to people who, for various reasons, have ended up outside the workforce. – We see that there are many good examples now of employers bringing in people, giving them qualifications in the workplace and perhaps working a little on adaptation for those who need it. It is a good solution in today’s market that NAV can also help with, says Holte. At Quality Hotel Tønsberg, hotel director Øyvind Hagen sees the same. Therefore, they have also collaborated with NAV to find new employees. – If you want to find a skilled chef, for example, it is almost impossible. They hardly exist. But I would say that we have good access to people. The challenge now is that we have to do more competence measures so that they can function well at work, says Hagen. CHANGE: There is a shortage of skilled people in several industries. Director Øyvind Hagen at Quality Hotel Tønsberg says companies must to a greater extent train their employees themselves. Photo: Tom Ole Buaas / news
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Every fourth business has problems in obtaining people with the right skills – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
