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We are this year’s most attractive workplace for young professionals

Dame ansatt i SINTEF om hvorfor det er bra å jobbe i bedriften
Employee at SINTEF, Frøydis Sved Skottvold, invites us into her world as a researcher in micro- and nanofabrication technology at SINTEF, and shares her experience of a workplace that offers freedom with responsibility. Photo: Mari Aftret Mørtvedt
This is shown by this year’s Young Professional Attraction Index (YPAI) from Academic Work, which maps young people in the workforce and ranks the most attractive employers among them.

The YPAI index is based on three factors: the company’s reputation, its perceived success, and whether candidates want to work there. In an article published by Aftenposten on September 18, Academic Work’s director, Mats Furulund, explains why we took first place.

- In the target group, SINTEF is perceived as a workplace with purpose, where you have the opportunity to influence society. You get to work on cutting-edge research. And it is seen as a stable employer with a strong professional focus, says Furulund.

Curious about a career in SINTEF?

How do employers succeed in attracting young people?

- In SINTEF’s case, you could say they don’t necessarily market themselves the most, but they do it well. In environments like theirs, we see that employees feel they can help shape the future,” the director explains.

Big Interview in Aftenposten

A great representative of young people at SINTEF is Frøydis Sved Skottvoll, who was interviewed by Aftenposten in connection with the ranking. She takes us into her world as a researcher in micro- and nanofabrication technology at SINTEF and talks about a workplace that offers freedom with responsibility.

- When I got a job at SINTEF, I felt I could influence society in a different way than in academia, Skottvoll tells Aftenposten.

The interview took place at MiNaLab, Norway’s only independent, complete line for the development and fabrication of microchips—and Skottvoll’s workplace.

Dame viser fram utstyr i et forskningslaboratorium på SINTEF
SINTEF-scientist Frøydis Sved Skottvoll tests if an artificial liver works like a real liver. The image is from a project with UiO. Photo: Yngve Vogt

 

Established at the Top

In recent years, SINTEF has frequently ranked near the top of Academic Work’s YPAI listings. 2019 was the first year SINTEF appeared on the list of the country’s ten most attractive employers for young talent. We stayed in the top 10 until 2022, when we took first place for the first time. The following year, we landed in third place, before returning to the top last year. This year, we celebrate our third first-place finish, our fourth year in the top three, and our seventh consecutive year in the top 10. In other words, we have every reason to be proud!

And we are proud—especially CEO Alexandra Bech Gjørv. When she receives the news of the victory, she is not surprised.

- I’m thrilled, but not surprised that SINTEF is seen as attractive in a time marked by uncertainty and serious global challenges. Here, employees have great influence over their own workday, and most feel they are working on something important, aligned with our vision: ‘Technology for a better society,’ says Bech Gjørv.

Timeline: 75 years of technology for a better society

SINTEF Dares to Invest in People

Mann ansatt i SINTEF uttaler seg om å jobbe i bedriften
FORMER "GLØSING": Håvard Skanke knew SINTEF well while studying. Photo: Emma Sæther

Håvard Skanke is one of the young people who has chosen SINTEF as an employer. He is relatively new in the job but has already settled in at Strindvegen. With an engineering background from NTNU, Håvard already had a solid impression of SINTEF.

- While studying at Gløshaugen, I saw SINTEF as a place where research and knowledge meet practice, with a strong brand built on knowledge, technology, and innovation. After working here for just over a month, I’ve already experienced the genuine commitment to our societal mission and the opportunities we have to make an impact, says Skanke.

- That’s exactly what’s best about working at SINTEF—being part of this important mission and seeing how much it means to everyone here. Not least, I’ve felt incredibly welcome and appreciate that SINTEF dares to invest in people and offers exciting opportunities.

Employer branding advisor Jon Kjetil Brandt and Head of Brand and Communications Eirik Lian are proud to accept the award on behalf of SINTEF.

- For us, it means that the next generation also wants to use their knowledge to create technology for a better society, says Brandt.

- Large parts of the survey are based on open-text responses—what they look for in an employer and where they would like to work. This shows that SINTEF has a strong and attractive brand in society, concludes Lian.

Do you want to apply for a job with us?

 

See all available positions at SINTEF here.

The final ranking

Top 20 most attractive employers for young professionals (last years placement in brackets)

1 - Sintef (1)
2 - Google (5)
3 - Finn.no (-)
4 - Aker BP (2)
5 - BDO (9)
6 - Aker Solutions (7)
7 - EY (11)
8 - Kongsberg Gruppen (19)
9 - Aibel (-)
10 - Strawberry (-)
11 - Microsoft (8)
12 - KPMG (12)
13 - Atea (18)
14 - Norconsult (13)
15 - Sparebank1 (-)
16 - Equinor (14)
17 - Deloitte (6)
18 - Posten (-)
19 - DNB (17)
20 - Norgesgruppen (-)

About YPAI

Academic Work conducts the Young Professional Attraction Index (YPAI) survey every year, which maps young workers and their views on working life.

In 2025, the survey was answered by approximately 1,500 people in Norway, who are either studying, recently graduated, or up to five years into their careers. The survey measures, among other things, Norway’s most attractive companies and which qualities are most important when choosing an employer.

The survey is also conducted in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Germany, and Switzerland.

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