"Tekniksprånget is a win-win for GEAB"
Gotlands Energi saw early on the importance of supplying the island with engineers. To attract young talent, however, it is important to think several steps ahead – be strategic. In order to secure its skills supply in the future, GEAB is therefore investing in young trainees through Tekniksprånget right now.
"It brings new perspectives and thoughts, they see opportunities and rarely problems.
These are the words of Sara Wilhelmsson, unit manager at Gotlands Elnät AB, and the people she is talking about are engineering trainees. The fact that Sweden will need more engineers in the future is by now almost common knowledge, and in Gotland's limited labour market, the need is particularly noticeable. That's why GEAB jumped early on the Royal Academy. The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences' internship project, Tekniksprånget. Allowing young people to try out what the engineering profession is like in practice not only prepares them for possible studies, but also enables them to find a base – and eventually a future – on the island. at the same time as the company's own skills supply is met. It is important to think several steps ahead.
"For us, Tekniksprånget is a win-win situation. Through Tekniksprånget, we have gained fantastic resources in our company," says Sara Wilhelmsson.
Many of those who have completed Tekniksprånget at GEAB choose to come back as summer workers or hourly employees during their education. An experience that allows the company to continue to participate. As a local company – and part of the parent company Vattenfall – community involvement has also been important, says Sara Wilhelmsson.
"We also think it's great to be able to offer technology leaps for many girls, as we really want to get more women into technical education and to jobs in the technology and energy industry," she says.
On the other hand, giving young people the opportunity to try out the engineering profession directly after high school is a long-term investment. After the internship follows an education that must be allowed to take time, work in another place or even another country. A more directly noticeable effect is that on the supervisors, who often grow in their own professional role by participating. Milena Roski-Pedersen has been a supervisor for technology pioneers at GEAB several times and sees it as a natural part of the future. All assignments develop, is her motto. Through the interns, she gains new perspectives on old problems.
"The people I have had the opportunity to work with have been solution-focused, driven, thorough, open and absolutely fantastic to see develop with different tasks. It's very inspiring.