Three years ago, Gothenburg, West Sweden and companies in the automotive sector launched a collaboration with the goal of making Gothenburg a leader in battery and automotive expertise. Despite tough times with recession, redundancies in the automotive industry, and geopolitical challenges, there are clear success factors in the strategy being pursued.
Battery Centre Gothenburg is by far the biggest achievement thanks to this collaboration. It is Europe’s most modern training centre for industrial technology, electromobility and the green transition. The centre offers a unique opportunity for both young talents and established professionals to train and develop their skills in simulated industrial environments focused on battery technology, automation and safety work. Since its opening in January, the centre has welcomed over 4,500 visitors, ranging from automotive industry employees to schools and politicians.
Through Voltage, we are connecting several initiatives and activities to meet the growing skills demand in the battery and automotive industries. Working together across Europe feels very positive and there is much we can learn from each other.
– Anna-Lena Johansson, Business Region Gothenburg
Since 2024, Business Region Gothenburg has been one of the Swerdish partners in the EU-funded Voltage project, alongside other education providers. Voltage is a collaboration between regions in Sweden, Finland, Germany, Portugal and Turkey, aimed at developing skills within the growing battery industry.
Anna-Lena Johansson at Business Region Gothenburg is responsible for skills supply in the battery and automotive industries and plays a key role in the Voltage collaboration.
“The focus is on strengthening vocational education so that it better matches companies’ needs. This includes defining which skills will be needed in different roles, the content of training programmes and how these new skills should be taught.”
“We are also looking at how we can work together to strengthen attractiveness and secure funding for various initiatives. There is a strong link to the work of Teknikcollege Göteborgsregionen, which is a collaboration platform within technology and industry, bringing together businesses and education providers”, says Anna-Lena Johansson.
Another important deliverable within the Voltage project is the completion of so-called skills cards for different roles at various levels. If more and more people possess the same skills, talent mobility will increase and skills supply will become easier.
Every year, all partners within Voltage meet to learn from each region’s work on electrification and battery expertise. Currently, the partners are in Finland to learn about their efforts and visit the port of Vaasa.
“There is also a lot of dialogue about the situation in other regions, the Voltage project itself and how we move forward to reach our 2028 goals. Meeting like this helps us get to know each other better and discover even more opportunities to strengthen Europe’s position”, says Anna-Lena Johansson.
If we are to succeed in maintaining a competitive automotive industry in Europe, we need to pick up the pace, says Björn Gustafsson, Business Developer at Business Region Gothenburg.
Joining the visit to Finland is also Björn Gustafsson, who works with establishment and investment at Business Region Gothenburg.
“Europe is at a crucial crossroads where decisions need to be made if we are to avoid becoming completely dependent on battery deliveries from countries such as South Korea and Japan, but above all China. Setting up EU-based battery production requires unique skills on a scale we currently lack. But through collaborations like Voltage, we can focus on developing battery and automotive expertise. And if we are to succeed in maintaining a competitive automotive industry in Europe, we need to pick up the pace”, says Björn Gustafsson.
“One exciting activity I’m involved in is Euroskills 2027 in Düsseldorf, where the Voltage project plans to showcase various vocational tasks related to batteries. But before that, we Swedish partners would like to do a rehearsal at the Swedish Skills Championships in Stockholm in May 2026. Battery expertise is new to many and an incredibly exciting area that will only grow as electrification progresses”, concludes Anna-Lena Johansson.
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