VICTORIA – IT firm withdraws summer job offer for NRK Nordland

NRK has written about technical students getting job opportunities before completing their education.

Many of them sign contracts while still studying, but unions warn against the dangers.

24-year-old Victoria Langøe from Sandnessjøen in Nordland fell into a ditch.

He is currently studying for a Masters in Computer Science at the University of Oslo and has been offered a summer job at an IT consulting firm in the fall of 2023.

Since it was the company she really wanted to work for, she accepted.

But in mid-January, she was called by the company.

Because of the lack of new work, it was said that there were not enough funds to keep summer temps anyway.

– It was very embarrassing. I felt like I was standing on the bare floor without a summer job. As a graduate student, this is pretty silly, because it's important experience to take with you when applying for a full-time job later.

She also has many friends at university who have experienced the same thing.

– It is not fair to see people for a year before they know they have funds.

Job routes will be published in advance

Summer jobs previous and previous posts.

What used to be January and February has now become November and December for many, says Hea Nord-Norek Gard Michaelsen, day-to-day manager of the recruitment agency.

But in IT sector, summer jobs are published earlier.

– The way it works for Norwegian IT students is that you start applying from the beginning of September. Then post all the positions, Lange says.

CEO of IKT-Noreg, Øyvind Husby, says this is due to the huge competition.

– A great struggle is going on for the students. Many people prefer to secure students early because it has been difficult to catch enough in the past.

But there is a change in the IT consulting industry.

– There are problems with tasks

– Now we've got a signal that times are tough, says Husby.

He says there are several reasons for this.

One of them was the introduction of an employer's tax on high salaries, which worsened consultancy profitability. He says there are also new rules for sanctioning projects.

– This has led to uncertainty surrounding the project, he says.

Also, the director says that some public companies require employees with years of experience in projects ordered from consulting firms.

– This is a great pity. Then the youth are seen on the bench because the public does not want to take the youth in the programs. Everyone should take responsibility for youth employment.

According to Langøe, it is well known among students that things are going badly in the IT consulting market.

– SThe student says there is a problem with the elskapa assignments.

According to Husby and Lange, this is problematic because IT students are often just starting their careers in the field.

– Most of the IT students go to the consulting sector first. They devour them, she says.

Change is needed

According to Lange, it wasn't just the summer jobs, but the IT company where she first got the job that had to downsize. Even full-time positions advertised a year ago had to be cut.

NRK has contacted the IT company that withdrew the summer replacement, but they would not comment on the matter.

Langøe is now calling for a change.

She wants companies not to advertise jobs so far in advance without knowing they have money to hire.

– People move around worried about losing their jobs.

She herself doesn't have a plan B, but says she'll be lucky to get the news in January and not later in the spring.

– I have time to look for a new job. So I talked to people and got tips, and I contacted a professor I had now, and he was willing to give me a summer job.

– problematic

The Electrical and IT Association is aware of the issue of students returning temporary summer jobs.

– Working life is important to meet young people in a good and serious way, and the practice described here is problematic in many ways, says union secretary Keir Asen.

According to him, these statutory provisions relating to employment may come under contract law.

– HTermination or termination before joining can trigger liability for damages in some cases, says Assen.

Apart from the legal aspects, this practice also affects the reputation of the companies.

– Working life is becoming digitized and many industries and companies will ask for young people with IT education. Asen adds that in this competition, companies that treat people right will be attractive:

– It will be better for the reputation of the working institutions among students and in general if they make written agreements that are binding on both parties at best.