How Summa College made recruitment strategic - and is already getting results from it.

“Working in secondary vocational education is and will remain attractive.”
That is not just a sentence from the Quality Agenda 2024-2027. It is also an ambition that we at Summa try to realize every day. And if you look at today's labor market, you know: it requires more than just job postings.

When I started at Summa, recruitment was mainly a matter of 'fixing it'. There was little focus on strategy, there was a shortage of capacity, and the subject was simply not high on the agenda. The challenge? Professionalize recruitment and make it future-proof.

A clear strategy on one A4: the recruitment strategy map

We didn't want a thick policy document, but a concrete and workable plan. That's how the Recruitment Strategy Map came about: an overview of all the projects that will help us attract and select the right people in the coming years — in a challenging, rapidly changing labor market.

The starting points were clear:

• Data-driven work
• Proactive recruitment (instead of reactively filling in)
• Strong labor market communication
• An optimal candidate journey

By combining these four pillars, we are building a solid foundation that goes beyond 'filling a vacancy'. It is about the entire system behind the inflow.

Concrete steps that make an immediate impact

A strategy is nice — but what we really wanted was action . That’s why we’ve set up several projects over the past few months that are delivering tangible results:

1. Recruitment and selection policy rewritten

With an immediately renewed, clear procedure, we ensure that we attract candidates who fit our culture, ambition and strategy.

2. Toolbox for colleagues

We developed a practical toolbox with templates, formats and checklists — so that everyone involved in selection can work in a uniform and effective way.

3. Increase visibility as an employer

Our 'working at' website and vacancy page are being renewed. Together with Brandmannen we are working on an employer value proposition (EVP) that shows who we are as an employer. The first campaign images will go live in September 2025.

4. Project Beethoven: inspiring students

Recruitment is also about the long term. With Project Beethoven we investigate how we can get more young people enthusiastic about technical education. Because talent of the future starts with education today — and of course that also requires teachers.

The common thread: from ad hoc to systems thinking

What we do is not just making recruitment 'better'.
We make it part of Summa's strategy .

That means:

· From gut feeling to data.

· From individual projects to coherent initiatives.

· From temporary solutions to sustainable systems.

And the best part? The first successes have already been booked. Not only in process, but also in results: better matches, more grip, more peace.

For other organizations: what you can get out of this

Do you also work in education or another sector where recruitment is under pressure? Then there are three things I would recommend:

1. Start small, but think in systems
   A strategy map helps. You don't have to do everything at once, but you do need an overview.
2. Make processes workable for colleagues.
   A good template or checklist does more than you think. People do want to — but they need something to hold on to.
3. Connect recruitment with positioning.
   If you are not clear about who you are as an employer, it will be difficult to attract the right people. An EVP helps enormously with this.

Finally, recruitment is not an island

It’s not an HR party. It’s about culture. Leadership. Growth plans.
At Summa, we now make recruitment part of that — and it makes work more meaningful than ever.

Would you like to discuss how we tackled this?
Feel free to send me a message on LinkedIn — I'd love to hear from you.