Kompetensförsörjning i en industridominerad kommun : En kvalitativ fallstudie om lärarbrist och arbetsmarknadsstruktur i Gällivare kommun

Sammanfattning

The study examines how the dominance of the mining industry shapes the labour market in Gällivare municipality and affects the conditions for teacher recruitment and competence supply within the school sector. The study focuses on how labour market structures, wage levels and gender segregation influence the ability to recruit and retain qualified teachers in rural municipality strongly characterized by industrial expansion. The study was conducted as a qualitative case study based on document analysis and semi- structured interviews with municipal officials. Municipal and regional policy documents were analyzed together with interviews concerning labour market development, education and competence supply. The empirical material was analyzed using thematic analysis. The results show that the mining industry has a strong influence on the local labour market through high wages, attractive working conditions and a growing demand for labour. This creates significant competition for workforce between the industrial and public sectors, where schools face increasing difficulties in recruiting and retaining qualified teachers. The findings also demonstrate how housing shortages, demographic imbalance and commuting patterns intensify these challenges. At the same time, the study shows that teacher shortages are reinforced by high workload, staff turnover and limited local access to qualified labour. The study concludes that teacher shortages in Gällivare should be understood as part of a broader structural challenge linked to industrial expansion, demographic change and uneven labour market conditions. The findings highlight how economic growth connected to the green industrial transition can simultaneously create pressure on local welfare services and public sector competence supply.