Strong interest in Gothenburg at the international Emigration Expo
From IT and tech professionals to teachers and lawyers. Move to Gothenburg had a high volume of visitors when it showcased Gothenburg and West Sweden at the recent Emigration Expo in the Netherlands. Move to Gothenburg’s Helen Bairu and Ben Kendall give their round-up of this year’s fair.
What were your overall impressions of the fair?
“Interest in the Gothenburg region was definitely high, and we had large volumes of visitors to the stand. I was impressed over the competencies people had, they were both broad and very niche. In general, my impression of the expo is that it’s big and well visited, and many parts of the world are represented,” says Helen Bairu.
“We collaborated with EURES (European Employment Services) in Gothenburg and they have recruitment expertise and strong knowledge of the many exciting job opportunities in our region, for example within IT and engineering. At the same time our neighbour was Region Västra Götaland, a partner of Move to Gothenburg, which has the healthcare knowledge and jobs for doctors and nurses. It was great that we could work together for the benefit of the visitors and the region in general,” says Ben Kendall.
What can you tell us about the visitors to the Gothenburg stand?
“Overall, they were mostly Dutch although some were from neighbouring countries such as Germany and Belgium. We even met a handful of non-Europeans - master’s students and researchers - who are based in Europe and are curious about opportunities in Sweden. We also met an English couple that had seen our post on LinkedIn and made the trip just to meet us! That was a personal highlight,” says Ben.
“Everyone was interested in Sweden as a country and wanted to learn more about the Gothenburg region and its opportunities. A few of the visitors knew very little about our region, but many knew a lot about the region. Where they were in their planning also varied greatly. We met a Dutch couple, for example, who are moving together with their kids during the next few months. They were super excited and are currently looking for a house in Kungälv, close to the coast,” says Helen.
“The skills and professions varied greatly: everything from IT professionals, plastic and chemical engineers and a biomedical scientist to project managers, psychologists, lawyers, teachers and even a crane operator,” says Ben.
Why were people interested in Gothenburg and West Sweden?
“From what we heard, in general it’s the combination of professional opportunities and the Swedish nature and lifestyle. Quite a few visitors to our stand also talked about escaping the crowds and were interested in working in the city, but wanted to live either by the sea or in the countryside,” concludes Helen Bairu.
A sample of the industries/sectors represented by visitors to the Gothenburg stand
IT and tech, communication and marketing, construction, healthcare, education, creative industries, retail, life science, cleantech, sustainability, automotive and mobility, tourism, logistics, finance, public sector.
About the Emigration Expo
Held annually in Houten in the Netherlands, the Emigration Expo is Europe’s largest meeting point for the entire emigration industry. The event attracts around 200 exhibitors and 11,000 visitors each year.