Hi, This has topic pops up time and time again but maybe you might impart some knowledge on the matter.I'm a (fully-qualified) Architect from Ireland with 6 years experience. I went to Sweden two years ago as my long-term girlfriend is Swedish, but lasted about a year before i had to return home because work was so hard to find. I had a basic grasp of the language and a wealth of experience and a good portfolio but couldn't get past interviews. I left the country with the belief that the industry there is pretty sluggish and with the archaic labour laws, a lot of swedish architects are out of work too. I had several major contacts at the KTH who despite their efforts couldn't get me work. I did get 3 months in one place but was appalled at both; how insignificant the architect seemed in the running of a job ; and the low level of salary.
Does anyone have a similar story? I'm looking to maybe go back as my girlfriend still lives there and need to think long and hard on my strategy this time.
live in sweden, work in denmark...only really works if your girlfriend lives in skåne
i don't live in sweden, but have asked pretty much your same question before and done what seemed to be quite a lot of research on the subject.
the swedish economy has grown in the past two years, but as you found out, the labor laws heavily discourage firing (and thus hiring). as you probably also discovered, architects (like almost all professions) are unionized and almost all permanent employment is done on a contract basis. the official unemployment rate of 5.8% or so is woefully inaccurate -- some estimates of the actual unemployment rate go up to 15%. the underemployment rate, while hard to quantify, is probably even higher.
there is also some discrimination against non-swedes, although the extent to which this occurs is debatable and debated. your irish name and decent swedish might have spared you some of this, but i don't know. all swedes do speak english, but most swedes prefer swedish, and fluency is pretty much necessary.
all that being said: sweden's economy is growing at a higher rate than the US, the working population is not growing as quickly, and some say there could be a labor shortage in the future. also, the new center-right reinfeldt government is trying to reform the rampant abuse of the unemployment system and to make the country a little more business-friendly.
your contacts at kth will be your best bet -- personal contacts and relationships are how jobs get found in sweden. lycka till.
if anyone has a better story...yes, please do tell...i'd love to be proven wrong on this one, sweden is incredible.
working in sweden
Hi, This has topic pops up time and time again but maybe you might impart some knowledge on the matter.I'm a (fully-qualified) Architect from Ireland with 6 years experience. I went to Sweden two years ago as my long-term girlfriend is Swedish, but lasted about a year before i had to return home because work was so hard to find. I had a basic grasp of the language and a wealth of experience and a good portfolio but couldn't get past interviews. I left the country with the belief that the industry there is pretty sluggish and with the archaic labour laws, a lot of swedish architects are out of work too. I had several major contacts at the KTH who despite their efforts couldn't get me work. I did get 3 months in one place but was appalled at both; how insignificant the architect seemed in the running of a job ; and the low level of salary.
Does anyone have a similar story? I'm looking to maybe go back as my girlfriend still lives there and need to think long and hard on my strategy this time.
Many thanks,
k
bo i sverige, arbedje i danmark
live in sweden, work in denmark...only really works if your girlfriend lives in skåne
i don't live in sweden, but have asked pretty much your same question before and done what seemed to be quite a lot of research on the subject.
the swedish economy has grown in the past two years, but as you found out, the labor laws heavily discourage firing (and thus hiring). as you probably also discovered, architects (like almost all professions) are unionized and almost all permanent employment is done on a contract basis. the official unemployment rate of 5.8% or so is woefully inaccurate -- some estimates of the actual unemployment rate go up to 15%. the underemployment rate, while hard to quantify, is probably even higher.
there is also some discrimination against non-swedes, although the extent to which this occurs is debatable and debated. your irish name and decent swedish might have spared you some of this, but i don't know. all swedes do speak english, but most swedes prefer swedish, and fluency is pretty much necessary.
all that being said: sweden's economy is growing at a higher rate than the US, the working population is not growing as quickly, and some say there could be a labor shortage in the future. also, the new center-right reinfeldt government is trying to reform the rampant abuse of the unemployment system and to make the country a little more business-friendly.
your contacts at kth will be your best bet -- personal contacts and relationships are how jobs get found in sweden. lycka till.
if anyone has a better story...yes, please do tell...i'd love to be proven wrong on this one, sweden is incredible.
Work in Sweden as a carpenter....you will get to design and build all at the same time.
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