Investing in talent: CEJN’s approach to meet the growing demand for getting more people into the manufacturing industry

The manufacturing industry is experiencing an increased need for skilled workers, particularly in CNC technology, production, automation, and maintenance. CEJN is actively exploring new recruitment strategies to meet this growing demand. 

As part of this effort, CEJN is broadening its recruitment approach to tap into various talent pools. Last year, 25% of new CNC operators in Skövde were recruited from Lichron Teknikgymnasium, a technical high school. “Widening the scope – it's essential for the competence supply,” says Hanna Häggblom, CMS manager at CEJN. 

A direct pathway from high school to CEJN 

CEJN has maintained a close partnership with Lichron Teknikgymnasium since 2001, and this collaboration has strengthened in recent years. CEJN employees are part of the program council, working alongside other key industry representatives to help shape programs that address the industry's evolving needs. Additionally, CEJN offers internships, participates in courses and open houses, and provides scholarships.  

Being present in schools provides a valuable opportunity to show what it is like to work in the industry today, encouraging visiting and meeting the people behind the work. 

The goal of this partnership is to ensure that students are equipped with relevant skills and to provide a direct pathway into the workforce. Many of CEJN’s employees have come from this school and have remained for years, growing and evolving with the company. “I graduated from Lichron Teknikgymnasium in 2005 and have been working at CEJN for 17 years. After working as a CNC operator for several years, I became a shift leader, and today I’m the production leader for one of our CMS workshops,” says Martin Törnblom who studied at Lichron Teknikgymnasium and began his career as a CNC operator. 
 

“I graduated from Lichron Teknikgymnasium in 2005 and have been working at CEJN for 17 years. After working as a CNC operator for several years, I became a shift leader, and today I’m the production leader for one of our CMS workshops” 

Martin Törnblom, Production Leader, CEJN 

Showcasing our industry 

Being present in schools also provides a valuable opportunity to show what it is like to work in the industry today, encouraging visiting and meeting the people behind the work. “There are still many misconceptions about the manufacturing sector and its work environments,” says Hanna. “There’s a diverse group of people now working as CNC operators, and that’s why we proudly showcase our industry,” she continues.   

“There’s a diverse group of people now working as CNC operators and that’s why we proudly showcase our industry” 

Hanna Häggblom, CMS Manager at CEJN 

Investing in our own people – a pilot program 

The growing demand for CNC operators inspired the idea of transitioning current employees into these roles. To make this possible, CEJN partnered with the regional project Kompetensnavet Skaraborg, a competence network supporting lifelong learning and skills development. This collaboration resulted in a 12-week pilot program.  

Two employees from CEJN participated in the pilot, which was carefully customised together with Kunskapscompaniet to ensure it aligned with the skills and knowledge needed at CEJN. This tailored approach shortened the training duration and made it highly targeted, focusing on the exact competencies required for the job. As a result, CEJN now has two newly trained, skilled employees and has gained a ready-to-use training model for future needs. 

Meya and Martin took part in the pilot project, here with their mentors Aziz and Filip. 

CNC operators with a holistic perspective 

An unexpected outcome from the project was that CEJN now has CNC operators with a deeper understanding of the entire production process, not just their specific work section. "We’ve brought assembly experience into machining – something we hadn’t anticipated,” Hanna says. “Now, we have CNC operators with a much better understanding of how the whole process works," she concludes.