The proposed proposal is intended for those who study at the police education in the autumn semester 2024 and onwards. The purpose is to attract more to become police officers.
The Swedish Association of Health Professionals believes that similar investments are also needed for other professional groups.
It's good that the government is highlighting socially important professions, but we want to see investments in more professional groups. Our professional groups are highly educated and there is a severe shortage throughout the country, says union president Sineva Ribeiro.
"Wrong approach"
She emphasizes that it is a problem that it is not profitable to educate oneself to, for example, a nurse or biomedical analyst today, and that it contributes to the difficulties with competence supply that exist.
The Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations (Saco) believes that investments that involve subsidizing individuals' study costs are the wrong way to address difficulties with competence supply in certain industries. Håkan Regnér is the chief economist at Saco.
"Labor should be recruited with good working conditions, not with the help of state subsidies for individuals' study costs. There is a shortage of competence in many industries and high demand should be reflected in the paycheck", he writes in an email.
"Not enough"
The Police Union's chairman Katarina von Sydow emphasizes that the government's investment is a step in the right direction, but insufficient to increase the attractiveness of the police profession.
More police officers are needed and this proposal can be a way to make the profession more attractive. We think it's positive, but not enough. Further measures are needed to get more to educate themselves to become police officers, she says.
• Better conditions for police aspirants.
• Repayment or write-off of student loans under certain conditions and terms for those who study at the police education in the autumn semester 2024 or later.
