"If we can come together as one voice, we can make those in power listen"

Carl-Johan Hamilton, CEO of Ants Code at Heart, and now candidate for chair of the IT Skills Council, answers four questions about why the IT Skills Council engages him.

"You are running for Chair of the IT Skills Council. Why?"

- The shortage of IT skills is a very important issue for the industry and for Sweden, and I see this as an opportunity to make a difference. We are in the midst of a fantastic global transformation of the economy, which means changing conditions and an increased need for skilled IT people. This is especially true for engineers who can develop and maintain both hardware and software. If the IT industry in Sweden does not succeed in attracting the individuals who can fill these roles, the great growth will slow down and we will fall behind. The reason why I chose to get involved is because I believe that there are issues that we can work on together as an industry, and partly influence each other but also those in power in politics and education to make decisions that allow us to solve the issue in the long term.

"What do you do for a living?"

I like to describe myself as a father of four and an entrepreneur. I own and run a company called Ants. Our mission is to solve the resource issue for companies with their own development and, by extension, for Sweden. In my spare time I want to spend time with my family and when the weather allows I like to spend my time sailing.    

"Why is the IT Skills Council needed?"

- There are a number of issues where it is difficult for individual companies to influence and that is why the IT Competence Council is needed. In 2016, the IT Skills Council plans to pursue issues in three main areas. The first is training issues, where we want to influence the scope and content of IT training at various levels. The second is the industry's image and openness, where the main issue is the ability to attract young people, especially girls, people born abroad and skills from other industries and countries.

- The third area is about pursuing issues relating to the public regulatory framework for, for example, migration, employee stock options and labor market regulations. I think all these areas are good examples of issues where it is difficult for individual companies to influence. If we can come together as one voice, we can be heard and make those in power listen. The government's latest investment in digitization is a good example of where the Council's work has had an effect.

"Which of the issues on the IT Skills Council's agenda do you personally feel most committed to?"

- Personally, I am most concerned with the industry's ability to make foreign-born skills productive. It's not just about attracting the right skills, but the perspective of how to get people to become long-term by being included and functioning in new environments is at least as important. In this respect, I think there has been a revolution recently, with the exception of consulting companies. Although the IT industry is international, it is also affected by globalization and I am convinced that this will be of great importance for the development of the industry and Sweden in the future.

As a parent, I also feel strongly about the importance of communicating to our children how exciting the IT industry can be. If we look around us, we see that there are developers with visions that are changing the world. If you learn to understand IT and use the tools, you can be part of a development that will be unprecedented in the next fifty years!