In 2015, Sweco joined a national program in Sweden to offer work opportunities to at least 100 new arrivals. After three years, almost 40 percent of the participants have been employed.

Sweco is growing and needs to recruit competent employees, while at the same time, there is a lack of qualified engineers. In 2015, the company decided to join the initiative “Sweden Together” (Sverige tillsammans) with the purpose of making it easier for new arrivals to establish themselves in the job market.  

For Åsa Bergman, CEO of Sweco, internship is a great way to find new colleagues. 

“We plan the cities and communities of the future and we are used to finding constructive solutions to various challenges. For me, it is also important that we recruit a diversity of people, to develop as a company. I have been working in the industry for a long time, and my experience is that it is when people with different backgrounds, thoughts and ideas meet that we become at our most innovative and can find the best solutions.” 

Three years later, more than 100 people have been offered internships at Sweco, of whom 37 have been employed. One of the participants was Deema Amayri who came to Sweden in 2014 after fleeing the war in Syria. With an MSc degree from Damascus University and four years of work experience, her skills were well matched with Sweco’s needs. After the internship, she was offered a permanent position with the company. 

“I was given the opportunity here to show what I can do. I started by making simple calculations and then I gradually gained more and more responsibility. I really enjoy working for Sweco. It is an international company with many exciting projects and always new challenges ahead,” she concludes.