The link between few vocationally trained workers and unemployment

Misguided prioritisation of higher education

The cause of the situation is that Norway has for years had an unrealistic focus on higher education. It is not the case that all jobs in Norway require higher education, as the 88,000 vacant jobs and the need for labour testify. There is probably a high proportion of overqualified people in Norwegian positions. Although this must be a real problem for the entire workforce, the only available figures from Statistics Norway relate to immigrants: as many as 40% of them were overqualified for their position in 2021. An audit report from Skien municipality shows that the municipality has too few qualified health workers, but also workers who are overqualified for their positions.

There is reason to believe that overqualified employees drive up wage costs in both the public and private sectors.

A comparison with other European countries shows that Norway has a very high number of people with higher education and a low number with vocational training. Where did politicians think this would lead us?

The discussion still goes on as if the solution did not lie there. As recently as yesterday, vocational education and unemployment were a topic on NRK Nyhetene and Dagsnytt 18 respectively. How many years is this subject to be chewed over by politicians? How long are they going to talk about immigrants and young people on disability benefits in this context? It is entirely unwarranted and looks like deliberate diversion and evasion of responsibility. Meanwhile the Norwegian press is asleep at the wheel and lets the politicians set the agenda.