Talent Mobility Program with Jesper Palmborg

As USA opens after the pandemic, interns and trainees will also be able to travel. Jesper Palmborg is one of the Project Managers for SACC USA’s Talent Mobility Program. He explains to us how SACC members can benefit from the program and how it works practically.

What is the SACC-USA’s Talent Mobility Program, Jesper Palmborg?
The SACC-USA Talent Mobility Program facilitates knowledge exchange in both directions between the United States and Sweden. Through the program, companies in Sweden get the opportunity to host young American professionals for internships and vice versa. The program partners with major universities across Sweden and America, connect you with top talent, and help you and your selected candidate with the visa/residence permit application.

Could you describe SACC USA Talent Mobility Program and what it can provide for SACC Texas business and corporate members?
SACC-USA Talent Mobility Program is a transatlantic two-way knowledge exchange program between the Nordics and the U.S. Designated by the U.S. Department of State, SACC-USA provides sponsorship of the J1-visa for Nordic talent that wish to get practical training in the U.S. Similarly, SACC-USA facilitates the Swedish residence permit for training for Americans wishing to get practical training in Sweden.

The program can provide SACC Texas business and corporate members with young professionals seeking international experience who have a specific skill-set, a Nordic business perspective, and strong work ethic. Instead of spending resources on expensive recruitment processes, by utilizing SACC-USA’s Talent Mobility Program, you get top talent from world-leading universities through an easy and cost-efficient process where candidates value experience far more than compensation. In just 8-14 weeks, you can have an ambitious intern at your office without needing to worry about administration.

Could you list three big advantages for a company or an organization to take on interns and young talents from another country?
Taking on a Nordic intern of course has more than just three advantages. However, if three advantages of trusting young talents from another country should be highlighted, then they would be: specific skill-set, Nordic business perspective, and strong work-ethic.

Specific skill-set: Top talent in the Nordics studies at world-leading universities such as Lund University, Stockholm School of Economics, and Chalmers which SACC-USA partner with. With a wide variety of specific programs and fields of education, the talent provided by SACC-USA is well educated and has up-to-date skills and knowledge in whatever areas you might need assistance with.

Nordic Business Perspective: Trusting a Nordic intern is a safe bet since they have a Nordic business perspective which is primarily associated with trustworthiness, reliability, and quality. As Nordic interns often are slightly older than their American counterparts, they possess a mature way of thinking while being open-minded and well educated about other cultures and perspectives. A critical and analytical perspective is always considered and included in the Nordic business culture. With innovation and sustainability as cornerstones of the Nordic economies, new ideas and solutions are often a direct effect of having a Nordic intern.

Strong Work-ethic: A Nordic work ethic can always be trusted as they start working at an early age and are always seeking new ways to challenge themselves. Being mature, flexible, and trustworthy, a Nordic intern will do what it takes to finish an assignment.

The combination of the three advantages is what makes investing in a Nordic intern special and an opportunity worth investing in.

What is the biggest obstacle for a company/organization to take on interns and how can you, at SACC USA facilitate that process?
The pandemic has been an obvious struggle and an obstacle for companies and organizations to host Nordic interns. Luckily, new regulations are on the way, easing the travel restrictions. Thus, soon we will be able to return to the traditional way of relocating an intern.

In more general terms, an obstacle that companies and organizations in the US may face when investing in an intern is the duration. Often, companies are limited to the duration of a summer internship as students often are required to return to school. However, with SACC-USA Talent Mobility program, flexibility is highlighted. The duration of an internship may vary between 3 weeks and 18 months.

With the travel ban easing in November and young professionals in Sweden eager to seek opportunities abroad, setting up a job ad with the SACC-USA Talent Mobility Program with a start date in January of 2022 is the most efficient way to get qualified help at a low price. SACC-USA will be working closely with you during the whole process from job ad to start date with no commitment until hiring.

What is your background and how did you get involved in the SACC USA Talent Mobility Program?
With origins from Gothenburg, Jesper (22) and Johan (23) first met when moving to Lund in 2019 to start their undergraduate studies at Lund University. Currently, we are both in our third and final year of a Bachelors in International Business. Having the opportunity to go abroad for an exchange semester, we both applied for the internship position at SACC-USA to work with the Talent Mobility Program. While Jesper is working with American companies to help them get top Nordic talent to their office on practical training, Johan works with Swedish companies, assisting American talent to perform practical training in Sweden. Living and working in Washington D.C., we are working closely together to continue to develop SACC-USA Talent Mobility Program and help companies get top talent efficiently at a low cost.