Valdidate your skills – boost your job chances

Ziza:

Many people who are new to Sweden have education and professional experiences from their homeland, which they don’t get the opportunity to use. And this is a huge waste of skills and job opportunities. But there is a solution. It’s called “validation.” It’s a way to get certificates and papers on your skills, so that you can apply for jobs in Sweden.

[music]

Ziza:

Welcome to the New in Sweden podcast, where we explain, and give tips and good advice for finding a job and working in Sweden. The podcast is aimed at those who are new to the country. And the theme for today’s episode is validation: certify your skills and increase your chances of getting a job.

Those of us in the studio today are me, Ziza Madani, and my colleague Pär Axelsson, and we work here at Arbetsförmedlingen.

Pär, I have something I want to discuss with you.

Pär:

What’s that?

Ziza:

I heard about a guy who was educated and worked as an electrician in his homeland Syria. He then fled to Sweden, but he couldn’t get a proof of experience with him, such as a certificate of education. And the result? Well, he couldn’t work as an electrician in Sweden.

Pär:

This is precisely what we will talk about today. How you can get your knowledge certified to apply for a job within your profession in Sweden.

Ziza:

Okay. And this is what’s called “validation”?

Pär:

Exactly.

Ziza:

Let’s start from the beginning. What is validation?

Pär:

Simply, it’s when you get proof of your knowledge.

Ziza:

And how does it work?

Pär:

Well, a professional reviews your knowledge through theoretical and practical tests. Then you can get a certificate, a paper, for the knowledge you have obtained both from studying and working.

Ziza:

So, a validation means that you get a certificate of all your skills which you can use to apply for a job or new training course.

Pär:

Precisely. It doesn’t matter how you got your knowledge. The most important thing is that it can be demonstrated. After you have completed the validation, you will get a certificate showing what you know. You can also get recommendations about which supplementary skills would make getting a job in Sweden easier.

Ziza:

So, what should this guy I told you about do now?

Pär:

He should contact Arbetsförmedlingen and ask if he can get help validating his knowledge.

Ziza:

So, how long does the validation take?

Pär:

It usually takes around two to three days. The length can depend on your profession. And it can involve both theoretical and practical tests. The approach differs.

Ziza:

And where can you get the validation?

Pär:

You can validate at different locations around Sweden.

Ziza:

Are there more advantages of validation?

Pär:

There sure are. Validation can open many opportunities. It can help if you don’t have the required certificates or diplomas to apply for education and training or move forward in working life.

Ziza:

Who gets help with validation?

Pär:

Those who risk unemployment, or jobseekers. Arbetsförmedlingen can help you with validation from the day you turn 25 years old. There are exceptions to the age requirement. You can read more about them on our website

Ziza:

Do I need to be able to speak Swedish to get a validation?

Pär:

No, you can get help from an interpreter. It is your knowledge that’s being tested, not your language skills.

Ziza:

Which professions does it apply to?

Pär:

Today, there are 44 different professions, for which you can be validated. From childminder, baker, mechanic, electrician, painter, chef, and many more. You can find these professions on Arbetsförmedlingen’s website: arbetsformedlingen.se

Ziza:

And where should I start if I’m interested?

Pär:

The easiest thing to do is to check Arbetsförmedlingen’s website: arbetsformedlingen.se. Search “Validation,” and there you’ll see which validations are available, and in which locations.

Ziza:

Great information. We’ve run out of time, so we need to think about rounding up. But would you like to give a few tips to our listeners?

Pär:

Sure. 1, you can find excellent information on Arbetsförmedlingen’s website. 2, contact Arbetsförmedlingen and tell us that you’re interested in validation. 3, you can even visit one of Statens servicecenter’s offices, and ask for more information about validation. And 4, if you, for example, have completed an education in a country other than Sweden, and have your certificate with you, you should contact Universitets- och högskolerådet, UHR (the Swedish Council for Higher Education).

Ziza:

That was all we had time for today. I hope that this podcast explained the excellent opportunities that you can get from having your knowledge validated. It could be the start of a new job. Thank you for listening, and good luck.

[music]

speaker voice:

You have been listening to the New in Sweden podcast by Arbetsförmedlingen. You can find all previous episodes at arbetsformedlingen.se/play. Have you got any questions, tips, or ideas? Please email us at podcast@arbetsformedlingen.se. This episode was produced in the spring of 2023.

[music]