Rural areas across the Nordic Region are facing increasing labour shortages, impacting industries, public services and local communities. Our webinar explored the findings of Nordregio’s new report, ‘Strategies to address Nordic rural labour shortage‘ and presented practical solutions for overcoming skills and labour supply challenges in rural areas.

This webinar on 15 January 2025 (13.00-14.30 CET / Stockholm) highlights:

• Key trends and drivers of rural labour shortages, from demographic shifts to the green transition. 
• Regional and sectoral variations in workforce challenges across the Nordic countries and territories. 
• Six adaptable strategies to address labour shortages in rural areas. 
• Lessons learned, practical expriences and actionable pathways for local strategies and measures.

The agenda included expert presentations and Q&A session, offering participants the opportunity to engage with Nordic researchers and policymakers working on rural labour market issues. Participants took part in the discussion by sharing their own experiences and perspectives on developing strategies to foster vibrant rural labour markets in the Nordic Region.

Speakers and panellists:

• Nils Aarsæther, prof. emer. Dept. of Social Science, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø
• Rikard H. Eriksson, Department of Geography, Centre for Regional Science (CERUM), Umeå University
• Hilkka Vihinen, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)
• Elin Slätmo, Nordregio
• Kamila Dzhavatova, Nordregio

Moderator: Miia Itänen, Nordregio