News
As Many as 4000 Man-years of Job Creation
The Icelandic government today laid out ambitious plans for job creation in coming months to counteract rising unemployment.
The government’s plans will implement 11 proposals made by its working group intended to create up to 4000 man-years of employment in the near term.
If this is combined with the contribution of five projects connected with the Búðarháls power plant development and energy-related industry, apart from the proposed Helguvík aluminium smelter, the total result could be some 6000 man-years.
The jobs created will be in building construction, provision of avalanche protection systems, revegetation projects, thinning of woods and trail building, energy maintenance and energy savings measures. Others will be created by reducing exports of unprocessed fish, raising reimbursement to filmmakers, development projects the travel industry, supporting an innovation centre in Reykjavík, utilising specialists currently unemployed to assist start-ups, improving the competitive position of start-ups and innovative companies and increasing the number of artists on the public payroll.
The largest single items are 1700 man-years in construction, 1000 in improving competitiveness of start-ups, 800 during the construction period of the Búðarháls power plant, 300 in improved utilisation of marine products and 300 in reconstruction at the Straumsvík aluminium smelter.