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Labour demand in a 'green megaproject': regional path creation or continuity following the entry of Northvolt?
Umeå University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Geography.ORCID iD: 0009-0003-1628-1054
Umeå University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Geography. Umeå University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Centre for Regional Science (CERUM).ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8644-4766
Umeå University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Geography. Umeå University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Centre for Regional Science (CERUM).ORCID iD: 0000-0003-3570-7690
2025 (English)In: Global Challenges & Regional Science, ISSN 3050-502X, Vol. 1, article id 100007Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

This paper uses register data and open vacancy data to determine if green industries require different skills than other employers. This is done by focusing on how the entry of the battery producer Northvolt changed the labour demand when establishing in Skellefteå (Sweden). Using data on all vacancies in Sweden 2016–2023 we analyse the skill- and knowledge demand in Northvolt's job ads and compare that to the labour demand at the local, regional and national level. In terms of occupations, we find only minor tendencies towards a higher demand of higher-skilled jobs compared to incumbent local employers, but an increase of service work and a reinforcement of the local manual work specialization. Using language models, we combine the vacancies with a scheme of skills and knowledge from the ESCO-taxonomy. Interestingly, Northvolt deviates in both the skill- and knowledge requirements compared to similar jobs in the rest of the country. This especially concerns a greater emphasis on information, collaboration and communication skills in contrast to other employers who stress manufacturing experience. Despite these skill-specific differences, our experimental approach finds little evidence that the entry spurred a significant diversification and upgrading of the regional labour market.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier, 2025. Vol. 1, article id 100007
Keywords [en]
Labour demand, Green megaproject, Green skills, Battery production, Northvolt, Regional development, Job postings
National Category
Economic Geography Human Geography
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-236603DOI: 10.1016/j.gcrs.2025.100007OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-236603DiVA, id: diva2:1945136
Part of project
Det nya framtidslandet? Drivkrafter, utmaningar och möjligheter i relation till norra Sveriges (gröna) industrialisering, Riksbankens Jubileumsfond
Funder
Riksbankens Jubileumsfond, M22-0029Forte, Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare, 2021-01573Available from: 2025-03-17 Created: 2025-03-17 Last updated: 2025-03-18Bibliographically approved

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Garefelt, PetrusHane-Weijman, EmelieEriksson, Rikard

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CiteExportLink to record
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Citation style
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