working in sweden

[kdawg]

Hi,

'm a (fully-qualified) Architect from Ireland with 6 years experience. I went to Sweden two years ago as my long-term girlfriend is Swedish, but lasted about a year before i had to return home because work was so hard to find. I had a basic grasp of the language and a wealth of experience and a good portfolio but couldn't get past interviews. I left the country with the belief that the industry there is pretty sluggish and with the archaic labour laws, a lot of swedish architects are out of work. I had several major contacts at the KTH who despite their efforts couldn't get me work. I did get 3 months in one place but was appalled at both; how insignificant the architect seemed in the running of a job ; and the low level of salary.

Does anyone have a similar story? I'm looking to maybe go back as my girlfriend still lives there and need to think long and hard on my strategy this time round.

Many thanks,

k

[Loosehead]

The problem is that Sweden is still recovering from socialism. It is perhaps a paradox that an ideoloogy based on employment is essentially the main obstacle to employment!

[jake-the-peg]

The CIA seem to disagree with you Loosehead - this from their fact book:

A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in 2000-02 by the global economic downturn, but fiscal discipline over the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic vagaries.

In 2005 the unemployment rate was 5.8% compared to 5.1% in the US and 4.7% in the UK and a whopping 11.9% in Germany.

This rather suggests you may be rather bending the facts to fit your view of the world!

Interesting that the architects role is insignificant and the pay is so low - Are these related?

Who is doing the work an architect would do in the UK? After all if the architects aren't doing much of the work would you expect them do be getting lots of money?

[Loosehead]

well Jake, I'm amazed that a lefty like you would quote the evil CIA, still I suppose we can all dig up things to back our own argument, even if it's from sources we usually do not give any credibility to! Now where's that Guardian!