1. AURORA an ESF-project Pege Schelander

2. Fyrbodals local government federation Geography: Situated between Gothenburg and Oslo Population: 258 000 Educational status: 5 % lower than the national average Business structure: agriculture, fish and forest industry, engineering industry, tourism and ”border”-shopping Unemployment: Fyrbodal: 8,9 % (12 - 4) Sweden: 7,4 %

3. Fyrbodals mission Business Environment Health Infrastructure Education Upper secondary school (Sixth form college) Adult further education College/University

4. The reason for AURORA Fyrbodals perspective: Increase educational status Co-ordinate upper secondary school Co-ordinate adult further education Initiate college/university studies Business and the individual perspective: Increase competence level Validate the individual skills Strengthing companies within technical and engineering industries due to current economic climate

5. Working methods Analysis of individual and company requirements Initiated by AURORA Executed by business networks Co-ordination of educational requirements Purchasing education (Law, ”LOU”) Horizontal objectives Gender equality Functional limitation ”To approach entrepreneurship”

6. Halftime results 60 companies 1 500 employees (approx.) 500 people have gone through education process Purchasing education (Law, ”LOU”) in two ways: Contact (RAM)-purchasing or direct purchasing Created contacts between companies and education co-ordinators The municipalities trade departments have been engaged in educational issues The municipalities adult further education have increased their co- operation with regional business and companies

7. Experience – reflections ”Culture clash ” – government and private sector Purchasing education (Law, ”LOU”) Evaluation Education 2,7 (4) Gender equality and ”to approach entrepreneurship” 3,5 (4) Co-operation Co-operation is increasing, though it takes timed Employment market Positive reaction to ”cutting edge” education Low level formal education, high er level on job skills, difficult to gain new employment Commuting is difficult in sparsely populated areas Starting a new company or to be ”self employed”