64 refugees from Ukraine secure jobs in Swedish construction industry

A six-month program called “A Decent Way into the Swedish Construction Industry” has successfully helped employ 64 refugees from Ukraine within the Swedish construction sector.

The initiative, driven by the construction company Galaxen Bygg with funding from the EU, aimed to provide secure employment opportunities for Ukrainian refugees with backgrounds in construction.

“It has exceeded our expectations, and we are extremely pleased. The most rewarding part is informing people that they have secured a job,” said Maria Nordin, Business Developer at Galaxen Bygg and project manager.

The program supported employers with recruitment aspects like translation and administration assistance.

“It’s fantastic to see the impact this project has had and how well it has been received by all industry partners. Together, we have managed to help many of those currently in the most difficult situations in Sweden get one of the most health-promoting things there is – a job to go to,” stated Mats Pernhem, CEO of Galaxen Bygg.

As the program is now being evaluated to explore working with similar initiatives for the industry going forward – for Ukrainians and other groups – there is optimism about its broader applicability.

“We never know what crises may strike other countries where this may need to be repeated. But we also have many people in Sweden with diverse experiences who may find themselves on the outside for various reasons. I believe this approach can be applied to many different groups,” said Catharina Elmsäter-Svärd, CEO of the Swedish Construction Federation.

The translation was written by an AI system, though the original text was authored by a human.