Skanska's International Leadership Program (ILP) prepares foreign-born engineers for employment. Learn more about ILP in the film above.
In Sweden, it is a well-known fact that people with a foreign background often find it difficult to get a job that matches their qualification. A taxi driver could very well have a Ph.D. and a gardener a Bachelor of Science.
Helping foreign-born engineers to find work
Last year, Skanska launched a targeted initiative to help foreign-born engineers find work in our industry while also increasing the number of Skanska employees who come from other countries.
After completing Skanska's first International Leadership Program (ILP), six people were given jobs. An additional nine started the program during the autumn.
ILP is aimed at engineers with workplace experience from building production and the goal is employment. The Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen) likes the initiative and proposed a number of candidates who were then interviewed in several rounds.
Theory and practical experience from building sites
The ILP involves an introduction to Skanska with a focus on the work environment and company values as well as practical experience at building sites. The practical experience is alternated with training at the Yrkesakademin profession training academy so participants can learn the necessary skills to take on management roles at production sites.
Raghad Jasim found her dream job
Raghad Jasim gained her engineering degree at the University of Technology in Baghdad in 1992. In Sweden she found it hard to get the job she wanted but after some years in Qatar she is back in Sweden since 2010. Now, Raghad is employed as a project engineer at a hospital project in Gothenburg.
"There is nowhere I would rather work," says Raghad.
"Through Skanska ILP we've created a means of tapping into unutilized resources in the form of qualified people with a foreign background," says Jonas Naddebo, Skanska Attraction Team, who works on attracting and recruiting future employees.
"And it is also very rewarding to be contributing to a more diverse Skanska," says Jonas.