THE COMPANY IS THE KEY

Facilitating the recruitment of people with a different ethnic background is not about charity. On the contrary. Many companies have a need to recruit, and describe that they have difficulty reaching the target group of foreign-born job seekers via their traditional recruitment channels. This is a huge waste of resources, both for companies, individuals and society.

Opportunity Day's idea is simple. It's about showing the benefits, the business benefit and the societal benefit of diversity. Next, we exist to lower the thresholds to recruit in new networks by giving companies and jobseekers the means to meet. Our watchwords are to: 1. go from thought to action, and 2. talk about opportunities instead of problems.

“The idea is simple. It is about inspiring and facilitating companies to make good choices. Facilitating the recruitment of people with a different ethnic background is not about charity. On the contrary. We lose an infinite amount of resources because a large group is outside the labor market. We want to draw employers' attention to skills that "are packaged differently" than the CVs you normally look at. It can be about other language skills, other educations and universities you don't recognize, as well as employers and references from other countries."

Helena Lindahl, initiator of Opportunity Day

7/10

jobs go through contacts (source: Statistics Sweden 2010)

greater profit

Research shows that companies that work with diversity have 35% greater chance of making financial gains. (source: Why diversity matters, McKinsey & Co)

THIS IS WHAT SOME OF OUR PARTNERS SAY ABOUT THEIR COMMITMENT:

"Sweden is in great need of labor in most areas. We also know that there is great potential in all those people of foreign origin who, for various reasons, do not reach the labor market. At the same time, we know that a job is perhaps the most important factor for seriously entering Swedish society, being able to contribute and feeling needed. Opportunity Day is a context where this hidden resource is made visible and given the opportunity to meet potential employers and get a real job. We at Ekan Management are partners with OD because we know that the model works and has been successful for many years."
Christopher Mathiasson – CEO, Ekan Management

"People coming to work, and employers realizing the potential in diversity, are two critical building blocks for increased integration in Sweden. We can only solve this social challenge together, and it is therefore gratifying to see all the positive power that several actors create together through Opportunity Day. Alkompis is proud to be able to contribute to this important initiative"
Julia Agha, Alkompi's CEO

Increasing inclusion and strengthening the supply of skills are two of Näringslivsgruppen Göteborg & Co's most important issues. When companies in most industries are in great need of manpower, it is extremely important to go from words to action to solve the skills shortage. An important piece of the puzzle is to raise awareness and have a more inclusive mindset around recruitment. Opportunity Day creates an important place for those questions at the same time as it is an arrangement where the meeting between business and job seekers is made possible. The business group Göteborg & Co is proud to collaborate with Opportunity Day and thereby contribute to inclusion and skills provision in the long term - all for a better and more attractive city and region.
Malin Engelbrecht, Chef Näringslivsgruppen, Gothenburg & Co

"Right now, there are many organizations that experience a lack of skills and difficulties in recruiting, while at the same time we have groups of people who are outside the labor market and whose skills are not being used. We can't have it like that. Working more effectively with inclusion is a natural part of the solution to the challenge of skills supply. As an effect, we will get more well-functioning organizations but also a more prosperous society in general! Within Sweden's HR Association, we want to take a stand for an inclusive labor market where we can make full use of all people's skills and therefore support Opportunity Day."
Mimi Cromberger, Chairman of the board, Sweden's HR Association West

"Being in a new country, speaking a new language and starting from scratch is not easy at all, but it has never been impossible. Meeting places are the most important and fastest way to enter a workplace. On Opportunity Day you will find a great chance to get a job. It took me ten days from the first meeting on Opportunity Day to the first day at the new job at Aros Electronics.”

Ehab Alboush – Engineer in quality control and measurement technology

"Switch Designs stands 100% behind Opportunity Day and looks forward to a promising work culture that focuses on competence, regardless of nationality. Opportunity Day's important work for increased integration in the labor market is something that we obviously want to support."

Steve Swift - Opportunity Day Web Designer, Switch Designs

Anyone can take a job! It's the Eductus Vision! Being a partner with Opportunity Day further strengthens us in finding ways for our participants to dare, want and be able to take a job. We want to be involved and influence the Swedish labor and education market through inclusion, partnership and skills development!
Sven Gratzl, Regional manager AcadeMedia Eductus AB

"In Nordic Choice we have over 170 nationalities. Think about it: 170! There are only 195 free states in the entire world. So if a guest comes from almost anywhere in the world, there is someone in the hotel who speaks their language. (…) Opportunity is, for me, precisely about this: to give someone an opportunity and to see those who came as a fantastic resource in our company.”
Petter Stordalen – Nordic Choice Hotels

Despite the economic situation, there are still many companies that want to recruit. It is an insane waste of resources that we then have competent people in Sweden who do not enter the labor market or do not work with the skills they have. We need to create occasions where these worlds can meet.
Rudolph Anthony, Rregional manager, Swedish Business Administration

"In our work to develop the city's particularly vulnerable areas, the opportunities for self-sufficiency are crucial. In these areas there are people with great resources and abilities who find it difficult to enter the labor market. Within the Framtiden Group, we are prepared to put in a lot of effort so that more people get work. And as a large employer, we must be inclusive and see diversity as a prerequisite for successful operations."
Terje Johansson, President and CEO, Förvaltnings AB Framtiden

Opportunity Day is one of the most visible social enterprise initiatives created outside the public establishment. A very gratifying proof of what a determined and stubborn entrepreneur can achieve. Ekan's customer promises to Challenge, Involve and Realize are all fulfilled through Opportunity Day. We therefore participate as a proud partner to contribute to the mission of turning challenges into opportunities and highlighting the gains with an inclusive and functioning integration.

Ulf Tengroth – Consultant Ekan Management and Ambassador Opportunity Day

”Vi tar hand om våra kvarter och de hyresgäster som bor hos oss. Vi vill att det går bra för dem. Därför arbetar vi med relationsförvaltning och satsar främst på jobb, skola, meningsfull fritid och trygghet. Genom samarbetet med Opportunity Day kan vi bidra till att de hyresgäster som idag står utanför arbetslivet får möjlighet till jobb. Tillsammans kan vi göra skillnad.”

Agneta Kores – CEO Stena Fastigheter Gothenburg

"We are so satisfied with our participation, better than similar events we have been to. Many of the job seekers we met at Opportunity Day were well-read and knew what Scota does. It will be easier to find someone who fits then.”
Anna Masoot – CEO Scota AB

"A modern and attractive construction industry needs to be more equal and inclusive. It is important that we reflect the society for which we build. Diversity leads to increased creativity, well-being and better decision-making. It is needed to broaden the recruitment base and for our member companies to be able to develop and be competitive. Everyone should feel welcome in the construction industry.”
Anna Lönn Lundbäck - Regional manager West, Byggföretagen

"Provision of expertise is one of the absolute biggest challenges for us in the municipalities, perhaps the biggest. This at the same time as there is a great deal of competence that we do not take advantage of, partly because of our way of recruiting. It goes without saying for us in Härryda municipality to both be a partner to Opportunity Day and to participate with a booth in the job matching."
/Pia Alhäll, Municipal director, Härryda Municipality

"After Opportunity day, we offered four people the opportunity to interview, all of whom got the opportunity to be employed afterwards. Two chose to become employees at Aros, all within the space of a week. Opportunity Day was an eye-opener for us who hire personnel to find the unique skills they want quickly."
Kent Johansson, Production manager Aros electronics AB.

As a partner for Opportunity Day you are given the opportunity to participate in our events, book internal lectures, engage employees in volunteer work, come to partner meetings, be seen in exposure, take part in recruitment assistance and more. Choose between standard partnerships or contact us for a tailored collaboration.