How to successfully integrate in Norway?
Ever wondered how to move to Norway and integrate well into a new automotive career, culture, and everyday life.
A technician in a new country. A new automotive job in Norway. Starting a new life can be both exciting and daunting at the same time. You know what you have, but not what the future will bring. However, having landed your first automotive job in Norway, means this is your chance for a new and improved life. And not just for you, but also for your family.
WiiSDA wants you to enjoy this new opportunity and embrace life as a Norwegian automotive technician. Whilst you should give yourself time to get used to your new country, here are some tips that may help you integrate fast and well into Norwegian society.
The Norwegian welfare society is built on
✓ trust,
✓ cohesion,
✓ minor disparities, and
✓ opportunities for all
To protect this, we need to ensure we have a community with room for diversity, and respect for the basic values and norms on which our society is built.
A good integration process and a well-functioning society require a common understanding of Norwegian society and culture. So, how can you start learning about the Norwegian way of living?
✓ Visit Norwegian museums
✓ Watch Norwegian TV series and films
✓ Read or Listen to Norwegian books or blogs about Norwegian culture and society
You can also learn about more practical aspects before moving, as this may prepare you for what to expect and help make the move more simple and less stressful:
How to integrate faster at work?
WiiSDA always encourages the authorised service to appoint a personal mentor for you. Our experience is that when you have a mentor in your garage, whose role is to help your onboarding, you feel more welcome, valued, less stressed, and you get integrated much faster. What you can do to speed up the integration process:
✓ Observe how the locals talk, behave, live
✓ Join different people during lunch break to get to know the team
✓ Ask people about their hobbies and interests, perhaps they match yours
✓ Make sure you ask clarifying questions if something isn’t clear about a task. Communicate – don’t assume, is a good rule of thumb!
How to integrate faster into Norwegian society?
Take opportunities to explore the city, local neighborhood, and surrounding area. Also, hanging out with locals will help you integrate fast. An easy way of doing that is joining a local sport or activity, such as football, fishing, hiking, film club, or whatever interests you may have. Many garages facilitate outside activities for their teams. Take the opportunity during lunch break at your garage to find out what local activities are available, and perhaps ask if you may join.
Obviously, learning the Norwegian language is key to successful integration in Norway. It will take some time and hard work, but we can ensure you it pays off! Why?
✓ You can communicate in the local language
✓ It helps you socialize with locals and colleagues
✓ It shows the locals that you value their culture and want to adapt
✓ And don’t forget, speaking the Norwegian language, will vastly improve your future career advancement opportunities
What to do next?
Even if you have not moved to Norway yet, but are waiting for your visa or start date, start reading or watching films and series about Norway, sign up for a free Norwegian Language App, and start practicing the language. Perhaps you already have a friend who has successfully integrated into Norway? Reach out and ask what helped him quickly adapt to the Norwegian way of life.
