Jönköping wants to inspire next-generation talents in metal technology

The School of Engineering (JTH) at Jönköping University (JU) is leading the NextMetals initiative to raise raise school pupils' interest in metallic materials and manufacturing. The municipality of Jönköping, Husqvarna and the non-profit organization Makers Jönköping are local partners in the project, which is funded by Vinnova.

"NextMetals will pilot in the Jönköping region, which is a key Swedish metal hub, and eventually expand nationally," says Ehsan Ghassemali, Professor Materials and Manufacturing - Casting at JTH and project manager for NextMetals.

The manufacturing industry contributes around 20 percent to Sweden's gross domestic product (GDP) and has a very strong partnership with academia. Despite this, many metal companies are struggling with skills shortages and a declining student base in universities. NextMetals aims to tackle this by sparking interest in metals among pre-university students.

"Strong ground in the Jönköping region"

"The metals sector, both in industry and academia, has an urgent need for young talent who can contribute to the progress and development in the industry. In NextMetals we are reaching out to the students before universities in a more systematic way. Our ambition is to make them and their families more aware of the growing research area of this facinating and well-needed field of study, which has strong ground in both the Jönköping region and Sweden as a nation," says Ehsan Ghassemali.

Experts from academia and industry will conduct activities on metal technology both at schools and at Jönköping's science center UppTech. Some students will also be able to take part in experimental exhibitions and go on study visits to university laboratories, RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden) and Husqvarna.

"Feels very right for us"

"Students are one of our major target groups so this feels very right for us. It gives us the opportunity to develop a metalworking workshop with a focus on foundry activities, which we have a strong both historical and geographical connection to through the old mills in Taberg and Norrahammar," says Arvind Shah, chairman of the association Makers Jönköping, which has its premises at Norrahammar's mill.

Students and others can come to Makers to borrow equipment and tools to create prototypes or process materials and more. The association aims to spread knowledge and skills and be a sounding board for those who need inspiration.

"We reach out to a wider public"

"NextMetals can certainly broaden interest in metal technology among children and young people and we can bridge the interest between hobby and study / profession. As an association, we reach out to a wider public with things, that might not otherwise happen so openly in labs and workshops. We have many engineers and experts with long careers among our members, with whom it can certainly be rewarding for school students to network. We can show them that engineering doesn't have to be so complicated," says Arvind Shah.

NextMetals started on 1 August this year and will run for three years. Vinnova is funding the project with a total of SEK 3.5 million, of which JTH receives about SEK 2.6 million. The remaining money is divided between Jönköping municipality (Upptech and Erik Dahlbergsgymnasiet) and Makers Jönköping.

"It is gratifying to once again receive confidence from Vinnova and Impact Innovation Metals & Mineral for our proposed initiatives. Together with our project partners, we look forward to this exciting project, says Ehsan Ghassemali.

Read more about NextMetals here External link, opens in new window.