New report: How to strengthen the transition from education to work in the AI era
The establishment of new graduates has weakened and the step from graduation to the first qualified job has become longer. They face a weak labor market at the same time as AI and technological developments are rapidly changing roles. This combination risks creating a growing gap between education and work. In a new joint report, Akavia and TechSverige present four concrete proposals for how we can lower the thresholds to the first job and strengthen the transition from education to work.
Sweden is well positioned to leverage AI to increase productivity, innovation, and competitiveness. However, investing in technology alone is not enough to realize this potential. The supply of skilled labor is crucial, and recent graduates need to be able to establish themselves in the labor market more quickly. In a new joint report, Akavia and TechSverige present four concrete proposals for how we can strengthen the transition from education to work in the AI era.
The report shows that recent graduates from both universities and vocational colleges are currently finding it more difficult to establish themselves in the labor market. The thresholds for getting a first qualified job have been raised. At the same time, skills requirements are changing rapidly as AI becomes more prevalent in the workplace, increasing the need for effective pathways to employment and early work experience.
New graduates are key to securing future skills
"AI creates new opportunities in working life, but for Sweden to fully realize its potential, the transition into the labor market must function more effectively. Recent graduates are key to the future supply of skills," says Ana Andric, economic policy expert at TechSverige.
The report proposes, among other things, that the reduction in employer contributions be extended to include recent graduates in their first year after graduation, and that concrete cost estimates be provided showing how such a reform could be implemented and what it would mean for the state. It also proposes that the link between education and working life be strengthened and that measures be introduced earlier for unemployed recent graduates, such as qualified internships.
"We need to build more effective bridges between education and work, otherwise it risks becoming costly for both individuals and society. Lowering employer contributions for new graduates in their first year after graduation lowers the barriers to entry into the labor market and at the same time contributes to the training of the workforce of the future," says Charlotte Tarschys, chief economist at Akavia.
The transition from education to work involves many actors and requires collaboration. With this report, Akavia and TechSverige want to contribute to a broad dialogue on how the transition to the labor market can work better in the AI era and how policy can create conditions for the skills of new graduates to be utilized more quickly and effectively.