The Fehmarn project and the House of Trade Unions at FLC Village had a formal visit on Tuesday, where Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (S), on her election campaign tour, met with the student initiative Lærlingeoprøret and students from the Bindernæs boarding school. During the talk about vocational education and apprenticeships, Femernbyggeriet was highlighted as a good example.
Pulled ashore a little
However, the prime minister pulled back a little concerning the very specific promise of 500 apprenticeships on the Fehmarn project:
– It will demand a lot from the schools, the local community and the guidance counsellors. There is no guarantee for this, but at least we have set some high political ambitions, and then we have to work hard to make it happen, said Mette Frederiksen.
Promised 500 apprenticeships
These are somewhat more cautious tones than were sounded by the Prime Minister’s party colleague, Transport Minister Trine Bramsen, back in February this year. At the time, she said in a press release from Sund & Bælt that the Fehmarn site had to provide at least 500 apprenticeships:
– With the Fehmarn Belt project, we are creating development and jobs, not to mention room for 500 one-year apprentices, which is also attractive to young people from the rest of Zealand, southern Fyn and Langeland. Now it’s about getting as many young people as possible to use the opportunity to get a vocational education, said Transport Minister Trine Bramsen at the time.
Enough apprenticeships
The softening from the prime minister comes after recent problems with getting interested apprentices due to the low demand for vocational education. However, Mette Frederiksen is still hopeful:
– It is about ensuring enough apprenticeships so that apprenticeship is also available when you start a vocational education. I just have to give huge praise to all of you who are committed to the Fehmarn connection. It is one of the first major infrastructure projects where a political decision has also been made that there must be enough apprenticeships – 500 of this kind, said Mette Frederiksen in Rødbyhavn.
