Building competence from within: Lessons from KOMPET

1/15/2026 3:16:27 PM

Competence supply is often described as one of the major challenges facing the manufacturing industry today. Many companies report difficulties in recruitment, a shortage of the right educational backgrounds, and a labour market undergoing rapid change. However, according to the researchers behind the KOMPET project (Jönköping University), this is rarely where the core of the problem lies.

– Recruitment is only a very small part of competence supply. It is a much broader and more complex task than that, says Anette Johansson, PhD in Business Administration, Senior Lecturer in Work Organisation at the School of Engineering at Jönköping University, and Project Manager for KOMPET.

A research project close to industrial reality

KOMPET was conducted within the SPARK research environment at Jönköping University, in collaboration between the School of Engineering at Jönköping University (JTH), Jönköping International Business School (JIBS) and Uppsala University, together with the industry organisations Jernkontoret, Svenskt Aluminium, and the Swedish Foundry Association, as well as five manufacturing companies. The project started in 2021 and concluded in 2024.

The point of departure was simple – but challenging:
If we already know so much about competence supply, why is so little happening in practice?

– That was essentially the industry’s brief to us. There are reports, analyses and knowledge available, yet companies still feel stuck, says Lina Bjerke, PhD and Associate Professor of Economics at JIBS.

Lina Bjerke, PhD and Associate Professor of Economics at JIBS (left), and Anette Johansson, PhD in Business Administration, Senior Lecturer in Work Organisation at the School of Engineering in Jönköping and Project Manager for KOMPET (right).

From “blame game” to ownership

One recurring pattern identified by the researchers was what they themselves refer to as a “blame game” – where different actors point fingers at each other when competence supply does not work.

– Companies may feel that the education system or the municipality should do more, while younger generations feel that employers are not attractive enough. It is easy to get stuck in the idea that someone else should solve the problem, says Anette Johansson.

In KOMPET, the researchers instead chose to consistently focus on companies’ own room for manoeuvre.

– What can you do yourself? What can you influence within your own organisation? That is where the work must begin, she explains.

Creating an attractive workplace before attractive recruitment

One key insight during the project was that many companies initially focused on how to attract new employees – but that this perspective gradually shifted.

– Quite early on it became clear that this is not just about attracting people from the outside, but about creating a place where people want to stay. If existing employees choose to stay, the organisation also becomes attractive to new ones, says Lina Bjerke.

This involves organisational culture, leadership, participation, working conditions, and the courage to critically examine one’s own organisation – including aspects that may be uncomfortable.

– You must start at the core. If you haven’t done your homework internally, it doesn’t matter how polished your external communication is, says Anette Johansson.

Courageous leadership and new perspectives

The companies participating in KOMPET are described by the researchers as “front runners” – organisations that dared to test new approaches and challenge established ways of working.

– This requires courageous leadership. The courage to think more broadly about competence, to include different ages, backgrounds and experiences – and not get stuck in the idea that things must always be done the way they have been done before, says Lina Bjerke.

Regardless of whether competence issues are handled by HR, the CEO or production management, one thing is crucial: the work must be seen as a strategic priority, with a clear mandate from top management.

The Handbook – a guide, not a quick fix

One of the concrete outcomes of the project is A Practical Handbook on Competence Supply, launched in connection with the project’s completion. The handbook is intended as support for companies that want to get started – not as a definitive solution.

– There is no universal solution. This is not a pill you swallow and then you’re done, says Lina Bjerke.

Instead, the handbook is meant to function as a guide – something to hold on to when rolling up your sleeves and starting to work step by step.

Collaboration – a key to progress

Another central lesson from KOMPET is the importance of collaboration. When companies, municipalities and other stakeholders begin working together, entirely new solutions can emerge.

– We have seen examples where companies lend staff to one another, collaborate on making a place more attractive, or build stronger relationships with the municipality. None of that happens without trust – and trust takes time, says Anette Johansson.

Competence supply as an ongoing process

Today, KOMPET continues through training initiatives, dialogue with companies, and the ongoing dissemination of the handbook. The researchers hope that more organisations will view competence supply for what it truly is: a long-term, strategic and shared responsibility.

– This is not someone else’s problem. And it is about so much more than recruitment. Real change only happens when this is taken seriously, concludes Anette Johansson.

The KOMPET research project

KOMPET is a multidisciplinary research and collaboration project focusing on competence supply in the manufacturing and metals industries. The aim was to identify and develop concrete activities and measures to help companies work strategically and long-term with competence supply.

The project ran from 2022 to 2024 and was funded through the Metallic Materials programme – a joint initiative by Vinnova, the Swedish Energy Agency, and Formas. One outcome of the project is A Practical Handbook on Competence Supply (2025) (in Swedish).

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