Abstract
This article focuses on the influence of a programme with the purpose of increasing young people’s motivation to engage in professions with labour shortages in the Swedish public sector. The data collection methods used were qualitative and quantitative. The study shows that employment quality (skills, learning opportunities and social interaction) is essential to young people in relation to labour market interventions targeted at professions with labour shortages in the public sector. There appears to be heterogeneity in how young people value different factors. In addition, the motivational profile of young people seems to be an evolving process, but also in what way participation in a programme with focus on professions with labour shortages may contribute to such changes. The results indicate that, when planning a programme aimed at young people, individual differences should be taken into account in order to motivate them to work in professions with labour shortages.
Highlights
The present study aims to investigate young peoples’experiences of change in motivation to work in different occupations in the public sector after they participated in a programme aimed at increasing their motivation to work in such occupations
Class 4 was labelled ‘low quality motivation’ and displayed relatively high levels of controlled motivation, and low levels of autonomous motivation. These results indicate that there is heterogeneity in the sample with regard to work motivation despite the young people participating in the same programme, but they show that a large portion of the sample had relatively high levels of motivation for work, as indicated by class 1 and class 2 that constituted approximately 80% of the sample
There are limited studies that focus on labour market interventions where there is a forecast need for labour in certain occupations, which tries to motivate young people to work in these occupations
Summary
The present study aims to investigate young peoples’experiences of change in motivation to work in different occupations in the public sector after they participated in a programme aimed at increasing their motivation to work in such occupations. In many European countries including Sweden, there is high youth unemployment due to an unstable labour market and where available jobs for young people are often temporary. The unemployment rate amongst young people in Europe is well over 20%, and the unstable and temporary character of the labour market can lead to marginalization of young people if they, for example, experience difficulties in finding a job (Wolbers, 2014). Research from Scandinavia shows that young people who neither work nor study have an increased risk of physical and mental illness (National Board of Health and Welfare, 2010; SOU, 2003). It is short-term mental health that is likely to deteriorate because of youth unemployment and long-term mental health. According to Strand, Winefield, Nilsson, and Hammarström (2014), unemployment at a young age has long-term consequences for their mental health later in life in terms of nervous symptoms, sleep
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
