Every year, hundreds of students at Umeå University remain in the region after graduation. The chance to get a good job is what attracts the students the most.
-It is the single most important factor in staying, says Johan Lundberg, senior lecturer at Umeå University.
Umeå is a popular student city and people from all over the country move here to study - many of them stay after graduation. There are several factors that attract to stay. Johan Lundberg, senior lecturer at Umeå University, has conducted a study among the students at Umeå University to find out what it is that makes them either stay in Västerbotten or leave. Of the students who move to Umeå and are not from Norrland, 18 percent remain in the region.
Here are five factors that make students stay:
The job opportunities
It is an exciting time in Västerbotten as a lot is happening. Large company establishments are underway and in turn provide lots of peripheral establishments, which leads to the job prospects looking brighter than ever. The whole region is growing and there is a bubble of faith in the future.
-What is absolutely most important for the students in the choice of place of residence after graduation is the chance to get a job, says senior lecturer Johan Lundberg.
Proximity to nature
In Västerbotten you live with nature around the corner. Here you will easily find both beautiful paths to walk or jog on, and good opportunities for hunting and fishing. It is also easy to canoe and pick berries. If skiing is your interest, you can often train outside the house. More and more people have begun to discover their immediate areas with the pandemic and interest in nature activities has increased exponentially. As the pandemic has shown that teleworking is possible in many cases, fewer young people are attracted to settling in a large city.
Shorter commuting times
In smaller cities such as Umeå and Skellefteå, it is rarely longer than ten minutes to school, work, gym, grocery store, health center or to visit a friend. This is something that attracts many students at Umeå University to stay, instead of moving to a big city where a large part of the day can be spent on transport.
-The students who stay in Västerbotten give high priority to the short commuting times, says Johan Lundberg.
Opportunity to climb quickly in the career ladder
It is no wonder that what students focus on most after graduation is to get a good job. In smaller towns, you quickly make a name for yourself and it is easier to get a network in a shorter time. Compared to big cities, it can be easier to quickly get a high position in a company, which can be something that attracts students to stay in the region.
The cultural and entertainment offer
In 2014, Umeå was named Europe's Capital of Culture. It is a young city with a wide range of culture and entertainment. In Skellefteå, the major investment Sara kulturhus has opened its doors during the autumn and made cultural and entertainment life grow at rocket speed. The fact that there is a rich range of culture and entertainment is something that increases the well-being of the students and makes them want to stay.
