Alumni story: Eric works with individuals' development on the labour market

Getting a job after graduation was not a problem for Eric.

“During my internship period, I was informed about a position that had become available in Emmaboda. I applied for the job and got it. I started working the day after I finished my education”, Eric says.

The job he got was at Möjligheternas Hus AB – a fully municipal-owned company that, among other things, is tasked with providing labour market initiatives for the municipality's residents. The department he works within is called Arbetsmarknadscentrum [Labour Market Centre].

“Currently, my supervisor and I handle about 50 individuals. They come from the Swedish Public Employment Service, the Social Welfare Unit, the Social Services, and the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, among others. During their time with us, we try to support and guide them towards employment, studies, or the appropriate benefits”, Eric explains.

Eric believes that the programme integration in a multicultural society provided him with many valuable perspectives and valuable knowledge, which he finds highly useful in his current role.

“This includes knowledge of Swedish administrative processes, the challenges and opportunities of multiculturalism, and external monitoring. The project course we took the final semester was perfectly timed for me. I went directly from learning about projects at university to working in the field and dealing with them concretely. The education is highly relevant to the work I do today”, Eric continues.

He meets a lot of people in his work and is inspired by their development journeys.

“The most exciting part is being able to follow the progress made by individuals. Many of the people we assist have low self-confidence, language difficulties, and have been searching for work for a long time. When these individuals eventually secure a job or enrol in education, it fills me with joy”, says Eric.

Eric quickly settled into his job, and his role transitioned from project manager to caseworker. He emphasises the importance of being attentive, curious, and humble in a new workplace.

“Make use of the knowledge you gained at university but remain open to acquiring new skills in the workplace. I have quickly gained a lot of trust in my workplace, and I enjoy it here. Since I started, I have also had the opportunity to attend many skills development sessions during work hours. Learning never stops”, says Eric.

He believes that the programme is suitable for those who find integration, culture, and/or multiculturalism intriguing.

“If you have an interest in integration, people, and important societal issues and believe that you would like to work in that field, then apply for the programme. There are good opportunities to obtain a meaningful job and build a career after graduation”, Eric concludes.