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Attracting international talent

Tuesday, September 14, 2021

There is a global shortage of skills in artificial intelligence (AI). Several countries, world wide, are now competing to attract the best AI talent. To strengthen Sweden's attractiveness in the area, AI Sweden, together with three partner organizations, is launching the Eye for AI talent program.

Eye for AI is AI Sweden's new initiative for international talent attraction. The program just launched together with three partners, AstraZeneca, Zenseact, and Sahlgrenska University Hospital. International top talents are recruited to an 18 months long program with the  goal that the participants will stay in Sweden.

– Eye for AI is a graduate program for future leaders in AI. We want to attract international AI talents to Sweden, and put Sweden on the global AI map, says Program Manager Ivana von Proschwitz.

AI Sweden teams up with three partners for an attractive opportunity: Each participant in the program will spend 6 months at each partner organization, working on real assignments with the help from mentors at both the hosting partners and AI Sweden.

– The rotation between the three partners is important because it gives the participants the opportunity to get working experience from different industries and employers and hopefully find a future career within AI in Sweden, says Ivana von Proschwitz.

One day per week will be spent at AI Sweden for the participants to network with each other and become a part of the Swedish AI ecosystem. The program is developed together with Women in AI Sweden to recruit a diverse talent pool and to use the network as a sounding board when creating an attractive offer to the participants. Time spent at AI Sweden will also include training of language and cultural skills.

– From the work we have done in Women and AI, we know that working with exciting projects, corporate values and leadership are really important when moving to a new country - salary is not the only thing that attracts talent and we want to show our talents the benefits of working in Sweden, says Ivana von Proschwitz.

– With Eye for AI we get the opportunity to recruit AI talents who otherwise perhaps wouldn't have thought of Sahlgrenska as a potential employer, says Cecilia Hahn Berg, strategist for life sciences and AI at Sahlgrenska University Hospital.

– Data Science and AI are already starting to make an impact on how we discover and develop medicines. We want to bring the best talent to our R&D strategic centres, including Gothenberg. The Eye for AI program is a unique opportunity to attract the best early in their careers.” Nina Mian, Head of Data Science Learning & Development in Data Sciences and AI at AstraZeneca.

– By participating in Eye for AI, we can work with talents who bring international perspectives and ideas, while supporting them in their own development and building a career here in Sweden, says Mats Nordlund, Director of research and special projects at Zenseact.

The first Eye for AI cohort is a pilot run of the program and starts in October 2021. In early 2022 the recruitment process for the next cohort will start and will be open to top talents world wide. If your organization is interested in participating, get in touch with AI Sweden at aigraduateprogram@ai.se

 

Participating partners’ view on Eye for AI
AstraZeneca's Nina Mian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyncUrcsBe8
Zenseact's Mats Nordlund: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdcNDUYb9DA
Sahlgrenska University Hospital's Cecilia Hahn Berg and Magnus Kjellberg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCuZ6--Q5Qk

Facts: Eye for AI
Program layout:
18 months with 3 rotations
6 months at each AI Sweden partner
1 day per week at AI Sweden
Salary and housing is provided

Candidate profile:
High-performing talents
Master degree in an AI-related field
0-3 years of work experience