Many new jobs in Lolland

While overall employment in Denmark is breaking records, the figures cover a significant uneven development. According to an analysis by 3F, employment has fallen in 37 of the country's municipalities from 2022 to 2024, while job growth is increasingly concentrated in and around the largest cities, especially in the capital region and Aarhus.

- The development is not just about urbanisation and moving towards the cities, but also about what types of jobs have been created in recent years, explains 3F's labour market economist Jesper Grunnet-Lauridsen.

A large part of the industrial job growth has been driven by the pharmaceutical industry, especially Novo Nordisk, and this growth is very geographically concentrated.

Lolland stands out 

3F's analysis shows, however, that there are exceptions. In Lolland, from 2022 to 2024, there have been 537 more jobs, calculated based on where the workplaces are located. Thus, the municipality goes against the national trend, where many peripheral areas are losing jobs.

- There is much that points to the Fehmarn connection. We can see in the figures that it is particularly in construction and civil engineering that employment has increased during the period, says Jesper Grunnet-Lauridsen.

The Fehmarn connection can thus be seen in the employment figures in Lolland and has a clear spillover effect on the local labour market beyond the construction site itself. But the effect does not change the fact that the municipality starts from a low level.

- It should be remembered that Lolland starts from a low point and remains the municipality with the lowest employment rate, says the 3F economist.

This means that even a relatively large job increase does not in itself solve the structural challenges in the labour market.

Contrast to neighbouring municipalities 

Looking at the figures for the rest of the area, the picture is more subdued. In Guldborgsund, the number of jobs has slightly decreased from 2022 to 2024, while Vordingborg remains close to status quo during the same period with only minor fluctuations.

This means that any potential job boost from the Fehmarn connection has not yet translated into broader progress in neighbouring municipalities. For Guldborgsund and Vordingborg to be significantly uplifted, it requires more permanent jobs outside the major construction projects.

According to 3F, the crucial question is how long the job effect can be sustained. When large projects are completed, employment risks falling again if new jobs are not created in other sectors.

Job fair aims to grow: The goal is 100 companies

Over a quarter of companies proceeded with a candidate after last year's job fair, and interest is already high for next year's event.