Sudden structural change actions are effective in the Oulu region
The ICT sector has returned to a growth path in the Oulu region. Nearly a hundred new businesses have been created between 2012 and 2015 and unemployment among ICT specialists started to decline last year. The dismissed persons have been very active and have successfully used their own contacts to attract new international companies to the region. Several companies interested in skilled labour have established a unit in Oulu. New and old companies have created well over 2000 jobs in Nokia, the world's largest network technology company.
The consequences of structural change in the ICT sector have been mitigated jointly in the Oulu region. The Regional Assembly of Northern Ostrobothnia compiled a joint assessment by the Northern Ostrobothnia Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, the Employment and Economic Development Office and BusinessOulu of the success of the Sudden structural change actions.
EU and national funding allocated by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment amounted to nearly EUR 30 million for the measures of the sudden structural change. It was channelled to the region through the Northern Ostrobothnia Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, the Employment and Economic Development Office and the Regional Assembly of Northern Ostrobothnia. In addition, separate funding for EGF projects has supported the employment of workers made redundant in the ICT sector.
Funding has been granted to projects of development organisations and companies in the region. BusinessOulu, the University of Oulu and Oulu University of Applied Sciences, among others, have carried out several projects to train and employ those made redundant in the ICT sector.
Between 2012 and 2015, the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centre) has granted approximately EUR 15 million in funding for sudden restructuring in business development projects. Tekes has directed separate funding to the area through the Hilla project. Oulun Yritystakomo and the Northern Startup Fund, funded by the business environment development grant, have helped start new business. in cooperation in cooperation with additional funding from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, startup companies of experienced experts who have been released from ICT companies have been launched.
A clear division of responsibilities among the stakeholders supported the creation of results. The TE Office was responsible for individual-level change security, employment services and training services. The ELY Centre was responsible for financing investment and development projects for SMEs and ESF projects. The Regional Assembly of Oulu Region was responsible for developing the business environment and identifying and promoting new growth sectors.
The Oulu region was designated as an area of sudden structural change for the period 2012-2015 due to large redundancies in Nokia Mobile Phones and ICT subcontrstakeholders. Of these, about 3,700 were targeted at the Oulu region. In order to manage the sudden structural change, a comprehensive action plan for short-term and longer-term measures was drawn up. The active involvement of the Ministry and its understanding of the situation of Economic Affairs and Employment in cooperation in cooperation with the situation in Oulu and companies helped advance the measures
Final Report on Sudden structural change actions (ÄRM)
