Northern Sweden is currently in a state of unprecedented social development. The focus, when talking about the gigantic industrial investments in northern Sweden, is often on the five so-called "places of establishment", i.e. the places where expansions and investments have been decided upon. These are Skellefteå, Luleå, Boden, Gällivare and Kiruna. There are another 24 municipalities in the counties, which are also an important part of Sweden's green development. These municipalities run the risk of falling into the shadow of what is happening in the places of establishment. Over the past few decades, the challenges of northern Sweden have gradually increased with increasing numbers of older residents, fewer of working age and many young people moving out of the region. It has created increasing challenges for both the public and private sectors, especially in the medium-sized and small municipalities. The list of hard-to-fill occupations, so-called shortage occupations, has become longer and longer. It is becoming increasingly difficult to manage care and welfare, but also to maintain and increase the level of competence required to be able to follow an increasingly rapid social development. The small and medium-sized municipalities already have a major challenge in retaining and attracting labour, competition for labour from the large industrial investments means that the challenges are growing. Municipalities in sparsely populated areas are also negatively affected by declining social support. With a declining population base and share of working age, focused work and collaboration between the public and private sectors are needed to cope with the great needs that exist. All labour available in the municipalities needs to be utilised based on the individual’s circumstances – regardless of gender, gender identity/expression, ethnicity, religion/belief, sexual orientation, disability or age. Everyone of working age is needed to meet both current and future demand for labour. The preliminary study that we want to carry out will examine the conditions for strengthening and developing collaboration between the Public Employment Service, municipalities and companies in order to develop and improve structures for a functioning competence supply and knowledge development in the sparse geography of upper Norrland. We want to - together with a number of municipalities in the sparse geography - review what working methods and methods can and need to be developed to better include the local residents who are currently outside the labour market. We also want to investigate how those who have a job can be given the opportunity for skills initiatives to be able to perform more qualified tasks at the current employer or be able to change profession (internal or external). In this way, employers can increase the skills of employees and thereby improve the opportunities for their businesses. Employees gain career development through new or changed professional positions and tasks. Through greater mobility of those who currently have a job, opportunities and space are created for those who do not have a job, so-called "intrusion effect". Through better functioning structures around skills and career development, municipalities can to a greater extent retain and hopefully also attract new residents based on the opportunities created. After preliminary study, the idea is that the Public Employment Service, together with the collaboration partners, should be able to apply for an implementation project within the programme area that is best suited based on the collaboration areas that have been identified as having the greatest needs for change and development to cope with the skills supply.