On Friday, kode24 reported that Netlight is canceling contracts with students for both summer jobs and permanent jobs, on Tuesday we reported that Atea has canceled a summer project, and later the same day the Konsulentkarma.no “blacklist” appeared.
The issue is an old one; already last summer kode24 wrote about students who lost their job before it started. But this year things have been many.
And Tekna, the trade union many developers and students belong to, notices it well.
– Our lawyers report that there is a growing problem with the cancellation of employment contracts, Tekna president Elisabet Haugsbø tells kode24.
– And we constantly receive inquiries from desperate students who lose their job before it has started.
Tuesday 23 April 2024
“Not an orderly treatment”
The companies that cancel already concluded contracts are all to blame for the same; the market is difficult, the economy is tight, and they have neither money nor assignments enough to have a bunch of students on the payroll.
But from those concerned, the students, we hear a slightly different interpretation of the issue: The contracts are usually signed in the autumn before the summer, sometimes a whole year in advance.
Tekna recognizes this.
– We see that there is a lot of competition to recruit students, which is why companies often start recruiting students for summer jobs as much as a year in advance to secure the best people, says Haugsbø.
– The problem is that many companies do not know whether the need will be there in a year’s time, or whether the finances are in place for hiring. Then we get job cancellations, and this is not an orderly treatment of the students.
Tuesday 30 January 2024
«Then we get job cancellations, and this is not an orderly treatment of the students.»
“Must show responsibility”
It was student Anders Rodem who, together with student Mikkel Svartveit, started Konsulentkarma.no – the “blacklist” of companies that cancel contracts.
– It feels like there is a bit of cowboy activity for some, now, he told kode24, about companies signing students as early as possible.
He believes the solution may be to slow down the pace, and Tekna agrees.
– We believe that employers must show responsibility when they sign contracts with students, and they must know that they have finances and tasks for they advertise summer jobs, says Haugsbø.
– For the students, it can be quite dramatic if they lose their job just before starting. Both because of lost income, but also because they lose important practice which is mandatory in many of the technology studies. The summer job is an important stepping stone into working life for many. There is also a legal dimension to the cancellation of contracts. These are issues that Tekna’s lawyers are looking at.
Monday 29 January 2024
“Good job market”
In addition to canceled contracts, kode24 has written a lot about how difficult, in general, it is for new graduates to get jobs at the moment. So for developers without any particular experience.
Students even won Vote of the Year in last year’s kode24 awards, and the companies that do not employ them Cactus of the Year.
– How would you at Tekna describe the job market right now?
– The job market for developers and ICT students in general is good. As many as 77 percent of Tekna’s graduates got a job before they finished their studies, says Haugsbø, and refers to Tekna’s survey from last year.
– It is good that our students are in demand, but the students must think twice before signing contracts too early, and feel free to contact Tekna’s lawyers. There will always be uncertainty associated with contracts with commencement far in the future.
Friday 19 April 2024
