Newcomer service provides value for both businesses and newcomers
Claus M. Andersen, director of BEOF, along with American Kari Kubista, who was recruited via Tilflytterservice. Photo: BEOF
It is not only a gift for potential newcomers to be helped into the Bornholm job market by Tilflytterservice; it is also a major asset for the island's businesses to receive a supply of qualified labour.
Business Center Bornholm's Newcomer Service has helped thousands of newcomers realise the dream of living on Bornholm and shown the way into the Bornholm labour market. However, the Newcomer Service is also a resource for the island's businesses when they lack specific labour, believes Claus M. Andersen, CEO of Bornholms Energi & Forsyning (BEOF).
– I believe that our Newcomer Service makes it quicker and easier to attract people to the island. Obviously, most of the people the Newcomer Service is in contact with are those who are already curious about the island. But the fact that we can quickly reach out to those interested in moving to Bornholm and show them that there are opportunities on the island, I think that is incredibly important in terms of attracting people and their labour to the island, he says, and continues:
– For us as a company, it means a great deal to be able to see a few more CVs early on in our recruitment processes. Regarding newcomers, it is about being able to point them towards places where they can start by having a cup of coffee and a chat about what opportunities are available, explains Claus M. Andersen.
However, the newcomer service is not only beneficial for potential newcomers, but also for the island's businesses that are looking for qualified labour.
Given that we are a local business, and the team at Tilflytterservice know us really well, it simply means that we get tips about profiles that they think would be a good fit for us. And that has helped us to seize opportunities as they arise – more so than if we had just figured out for ourselves that we were now ready to have a job filled.
Unexpected workforce
At other times companies like BEOF reach out themselves when they can see that they need specific labour, tells the director.
– If we have specific needs that we know will arise, we contact Newcomer Service ourselves and enquire whether they have any CVs in the database that might match. And then, as mentioned, it also works the other way around. In that way, I think that the private-public collaboration with Newcomer Service has meant a lot to us as a company, says the director, pointing to their American employee Kari Kubista as an example of Newcomer Service's ability to also procure useful, but unexpected labour.
– For us it was a new experience to take on an English-speaking employee. We also employ Swedes, Finns and other nationalities, but they have all been able to speak Danish. Conversely, however, we could see that Kari brought with her some competencies that were very interesting for the development we are undergoing, he says, pointing out that had she applied for one of BEOF's advertised positions, it is not certain it would have led to an appointment. But through the conversation with newcomer consultant Rune Holm, they became aware of her specific qualities.
– So our good experience with the Newcomer Service meant that we had a chat with her and could see that it added a lot of value to employ her, says the director, who has now found a position for the American employee in the company that matches her specific qualifications.
– She comes with many years of experience as a project manager and also what is known as a portfolio manager, where you have the overview of several large projects. And BEOF is heading towards a new period in our company's life, where in the coming years we are going to make some major investments, both in our power plant, in our wastewater system and in our heating. In that way, they are going from very small projects to having to tackle some very large projects, explains Claus M. Andersen, and says that he had therefore already thought that »it's a different sport, which also requires some different competencies«.
– Kari brings valuable experience with her, and she now holds a position where she helps develop procedures and systems for how we can manage our many projects effectively, just as she has introduced a project model that can be used for both small and large projects. So that experience was something we didn't have beforehand in the company and couldn't readily find on the island either, says the director.
Good working conditions
Kari Kubista's own path into Bornholm's business community began classically when her spouse accepted a job on the island.
– My husband grew up in Copenhagen, and we've always wanted to live close to his family and create an environment where our son can learn Danish and learn more about Danish culture, she says.
What is your educational background?
– I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Resources Engineering from the University of Maryland and a Master of Engineering degree in Civil Engineering from Colorado State University.
How do your skills come into play in your work at BEOF?
– The skills I gained through my various jobs prior to BEOF have provided a great foundation for my work with BEOF. Specifically, my ability to see the combination of projects, people, and processes as an ecosystem. Because even though each is important in its own right, it is the way they work together that predicts success. Working as an engineer in a range of different roles and company sizes has given me opportunities to look at things from both a micro and macro level, both of which require a different level of understanding.
What do you think about being on Bornholm?
– I think the island is lovely. We are enjoying exploring it and everything it has to offer. Moving here without speaking fluent Danish has been a challenge for me, but I have enjoyed learning it, she says, adding that it has also been a valuable eye-opener to learn more about the Bornholm work culture and the work-life balance.
– In the US, we don’t just mentally check out of work just because we’ve left the workplace. Working from home or late to meet deadlines or expectations is common. But being able to detach completely from work when you’re not there, and to take care of your family and have holidays, is incredibly important to be able to have balance in your life, and I think that’s connected to the happiness I see in my colleagues. BEOF has created a good working culture by not only trusting that their employees act responsibly, but also by recognising that they are more than their job, says the American BEOF employee, who has not only settled in well on the island, but also in his Bornholm working life.
– I am very lucky to have secured a position at BEOF, she concludes.
BY JOAN ØHRSTRØM
Facts about Tilflytterservice Bornholm
Tilflytterservice Bornholm is a public-private partnership anchored at Business Center Bornholm, created to attract more newcomers to Bornholm and help private and public companies with the recruitment and retention of qualified labour.
Behind the initiative are Bornholm-based private and public enterprises, which account for approximately 50 percent of the financing, together with the Municipality of Bornholm, which accounts for the other half. Through their membership, the companies receive a range of services, spanning from direct customer enquiries to tailored recruitment solutions. The scheme started back in 2016 as a pilot project, but is now a permanent arrangement.
Would you like to know more about what Newcomer Service can offer you as a business? Or are you curious about how Newcomer Service can help you if you dream of a life on the sunshine island? Read more at næstestopbornholm.dk.