Norwegian industry is booming.  In 2006, companies invested approximately 22 billion NOK in new and upgraded factories, and will invest about the same amount in 2007.  We have an employment rate of close to 100% of the workforce, so many companies find they need to draw on the international labour market.
In the process of employing or hiring in foreign labour, there are many challenges to address, and regulations can seem complex.  So, Industriskolen has developed a course to guide companies through the ocean of regulations and answer questions, as well as contribute with guidelines on how best to relate to foreign workers.
The background for this course is, among other things, the 2006 wage settlement, where the Federation of Norwegian Industries, and Fellesforbundet agreed on the following:

“The parties agree that it is important to work toward making industry attractive and serious, and that workers hired in by subcontractors, have proper salaries and working conditions.”

Industriskolen’s course on employing and hiring in foreign labour, is one of the initiatives for promoting this work.  The object of the course is to provide a concise and user friendly overview of the regulations that are applicable to companies wanting to hire in labour.  The course provides an overview of regulations that apply to hiring both permanent and temporary foreign labour, as well as an overview of regulations relating to subcontractors and their employees.

The target group for this course is personnel working with employment, recruiting, and hiring in labour, as well as personnel who are responsible for entering contracts with subcontractors, especially foreign subcontractors.

Development work for this course started in the summer of 2006 and the course will be available in December.  The course has three components: a course booklet, access to a course platform, with interactive training modules and more, and a full day gathering.  This composite course plan will contribute to maximum learning effect.
The booklet provides a theoretical foundation on laws and systems of contracts.  The interactive modules provide insight and understanding on how regulations can be used practically in the company.  Here, examples from companies are presented, allowing users to see the relevance and consequences of various alternatives for their own companies.

The course platform for the participants also provides access to contract proposals that they can use in their own companies, links to relevant websites providing more information, as well as opportunities to discuss and exchange experiences.  The full day gathering is a flexible supplement to the course booklet and interactive modules, and is held after their completion.

At the full day gathering, emphasis is placed on exchanging experiences, group exercises and discussions, in addition to summarising the course booklet and interactive modules.

Over the course of December 2006 and January and February 2007, approximately 160 people took the course.  Feedback has been very positive, and the interactive modules were considered especially useful.

One of the course participants expressed the following:

“It is positive that this issue is in focus.  The course addresses problems and questions that apply directly to our activities, and it is important to map out what is applicable.”  Svein Lonbakken from Kleven Verft

Over the course of the spring, several more courses have been set up, and enrolment is open both to members of the Federation of Norwegian Industries and anyone else who is interested.  To enrol, go to www.industriskolen.no.

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Article by: Anita Lund, Federation of Norwegian Industries.