At Lolland Municipality’s large job fair on Wednesday, there were many job seekers with ethnic origins other than Danish. So English was spoken and gestures were used everywhere in the hall.
International vibe
– You can really feel an international vibe here today. It’s actually quite fantastic to be a part of, says director and co-owner of Bredgaard Boats in Rødbyhavn Jørgen Wiuff, who, like so many other companies with interests in the area, had a stand at the fair.
– We wouldn’t be standing here if we had all the people we need. It is very difficult to get labor in Lolland these years. And at the same time, we are doing very well with several new orders, says the director.
Urgently needing
Right now, Bredgaard Boats urgently needs two boat builder apprentices and two to three carpenters/carpenters. They are ready for the flexibility that Lolland Municipality is asking for from the companies.
– We are not at all afraid of foreign labour, says Jørgen Wiuff.
Finds a solution to the language
Bredgaard Boats has a bit of an advantage in that regard.
– We have always had foreign labour. This gives us an advantage because we already know how to integrate our foreign employees. Our employees are not afraid to welcome colleagues who may not speak Danish or English very well. We will find out about the language, says Jørgen Wiuff.
“Just get started!”
At Bredgaard Boats, they have an English interpreter who helps when the language makes knots, and they have organized their production so that the work can be done by other nationalities as well.
The director has good advice for his colleagues in other companies who have to navigate the new job market.
– You should not be afraid of foreign labour. Just get started! With us, they have been a breath of fresh air for the company.
Got hold of the Ukrainians
At another stand, HR Manager for Lalandia Rødby, Pia Davidsen, was busy handing out pamphlets and sales speeches.
Even in the holiday country, people are not frightened by the prospect of companies on Lolland having to fill more positions with foreign labor in the future.
– We have employees of several different nationalities. Among other things, we have approximately ten Ukrainians employed in our cleaning teams. It works fine and they are good and stable labor.
– I actually think that the rumor about us is spreading in their network. We can feel that we are getting more Ukrainians as applicants. So it’s also about being such a good place to work that it gets word of mouth, she says.
