Colleagues, cousins, and friends Jessica Bergman and Malin Nilsson share a large part of their lives, now also at Stegra’s office in Boden. Both have strong roots here and contribute with competence and hospitality, both within the organization and out to the world, as Boden grows.
In Stegra’s large, bright kitchen in Centralskolan in Boden, languages and laughter hail between tables and laptops. Malin opens her computer and unfolds a screen adorned with the decals “I love Boden” and “Women in Steel”. The two cousins from the Lule River Valley, and that text, in the middle of the international workplace in central Boden, is a clear picture of what Malin, Jessica, and Boden are in right now.
Malin and Jessica have their roots here for generations back. They like to travel the world, and for many years in the hospitality industry have welcomed the world. But always with their home village in Boden municipality as a safe place to start from, no matter what life offers. Malin grew up in Rasmyran, Jessica in Harads. Both now live in the village of Bredåker.
– I love living here, completely unrelated to what job I’ve had. Here my children live their best life where we can give them what I think is everything – being able to be out in the yard and play, fish from the bridge, skiing 15 minutes away and adventure pool 15 minutes in the other direction, says Jessica.
Malin chimes in that here is everything she wants close by – forest and river, coast and mountains, and big city pulse just an hour away if she feels like it.
Followed each Other
Malin and Jessica have not only grown up close to each other but have also worked together for large parts of their adult lives. Previously as two of the rocks at the alpine resort Storklinten, now as important players in the green steel plant Stegra’s great work to create opportunities for new Boden residents to settle here.
Two widely different industries but still with many similarities. Cultures and needs must be met. The practical must work. And it must go fast. The collaboration has Malin and Jessica well ingrained. The drive, the hospitality and the ability to solve problems and organize both themselves and others as well.
Paving the Way for New Boden Residents
Malin and Jessica are two of an increasing number of local talents who have chosen to contribute their expertise in the construction of the new green industry. Malin’s role is “relocation and immigration specialist” and Jessica’s “relocation coordinator”. In practice, it briefly means that Malin is involved already in the recruitment process to contribute from Stegra’s side with practical information and help even before the employee accepts a position. She then follows along in the process of everything required when moving to Boden, within Sweden or from countries both within and outside the EU.
Jessica is part of the team that ensures that their new colleagues have somewhere to live when they move here. For a long time back, new employees have been coming to Boden every week.
– My first day at work we were 34 new, says Jessica, and explains that the pace is only increasing and that the desire to move here is great.
– Right now we are working intensively with the preparations for January’s arrivals, when nearly 50 international new employees will move to Boden.
Knowledge in both Directions
Jessica and Malin speak with pride about their place on earth and see the value of being able to contribute their experiences as Boden grows, and also be able to convey their local knowledge and understanding of the place into the organization.
– If this is to be a success story for Boden, we need to become more Boden residents. And when this is finished, we want Boden to still be a place that is attractive to live in. We want to get more real Boden residents who integrate and want to stay and for that requires understanding and willingness from both sides, says Malin.
Local Engagement
Both Malin and Jessica are driven association people and engaged in the development of the village and the municipality. Both are team leaders and coaches in the children’s sports. Malin counts on both hands’ fingers how many associations she is involved in running. Jessica also has an engagement in “Let´s go Swedish”. A non-profit organization that she started as a young woman together with two friends during the great refugee wave. The work has now been taken up again and one evening a week they receive new Swedes, still mainly asylum seekers, to provide basic support and joyful help in everyday Swedish, customs, habits and generally good-to-know. Now their children are also involved and meet other children from all corners of the world with great enthusiasm.
The local commitment and a rich association life is according to Malin and Jessica essential for a place to be alive, develop and also capture the new ones who come.
More on the Way
Boden is continuously scanned for housing and now further efforts are being made to reach people who with their heart in the right place feel that they want to help with housing for the new Boden residents. An ‘attefallare’ (a small house that can be built without planning permission) in the yard, a summer cottage that stands unused or other solutions when the need is great.
– And now we are not talking about temporary construction workers but entire families from different parts of the world, who have decided to move here, live and live here. We welcome everyone to get in touch if it is so that any current Boden resident wants to rent out an accommodation to one of our new Boden residents for shorter or longer periods, greets Malin and Jessica who are happy to give more information at relocation@stegra.com.
TEXT: ANNA BERGSTRÖM
