Joacim Ekbäck Eriksson, vocational teacher at Tannbergsskolan:

“Guiding young people toward adulthood is the best thing”

When Joacim Ekbäck Eriksson moved from Dorotea to Lycksele, he didn’t know that his move would mark the beginning of a career in entrepreneurship. Now, as a vocational teacher in the business program at Tannberg School, he inspires young people to take risks and shape their own futures.

–The best part of my job is meeting young people and following their journey from first grade as they grow into adults who are getting ready to enter the workforce.

Joacim Ekbäck Eriksson, a vocational teacher in the business program at Tannberg School, really enjoys a career where he gets to work with entrepreneurship and the “Unga Företag” (Young Enterprises) program—an integral part of the third year of high school, during which students receive guidance on how to start, run, and wind up a business. Currently, Joacim mentors most of the UF students at the school.

"It's a fun job, and it feels very similar to what I've done before."

Career and Job Opportunities

For qualified teachers, job opportunities are good at Tannberg School. If you want to advance in your career, there are opportunities to take on more challenging roles, such as the position of lead teacher, which involves greater responsibility for the school’s development. Every fall, the school posts job openings for qualified teachers in the various programs, but qualifications may not always be the most important factor for a teacher, explains Joacim.

–Personality is often the deciding factor. If you build a good relationship with the students, they’ll want to learn.

Self-employment laid the foundation

Joacim moved to Lycksele in the mid-1990s from Dorotea, where he grew up. After a few short-term jobs—including as an advertising salesperson and a real estate agent’s assistant—he and his girlfriend took over what was then known as Färghuset, which they ran for eighteen years. With virtually no prior experience in entrepreneurship, those years served as a solid crash course in running a business.

“We had the reassurance of taking over an existing business with employees who knew what they were doing, but of course it was a lot of work—running your own business is a major challenge. Asking for help can be difficult for an entrepreneur, but we were honest about the fact that we didn’t have much experience and received great support from local networks.”

Combining Work and School

In connection with the sale of the company, Joacim was offered a teaching position in the Business Program, where he remained for two years before the program was discontinued. He then transitioned to his current position in the Economics Program. The school offered him the opportunity to earn his teaching certification during work hours, with a reduced teaching load and time set aside for distance learning, which worked well for Joacim. Since he was able to receive credit for the practicum component, his teacher training consisted of five semesters of part-time study, totaling 90 higher education credits. Today, Tannbergsskolan has a campus section where all university students are welcome.

Active in the Scouts

In his free time, Joacim is active in community organizations, including the Scouts. He also enjoys spending time with his family and being out in nature. At least once a year, he spends the night in the woods, both in summer and winter. With nature right on his doorstep at his house in Furuvik, it’s easy to get out into the great outdoors.

–As a Scout leader, I get to work with elementary school-aged children who learn important things about both life and nature.

Many Benefits of Lycksele

Joacim believes there are many benefits to living and working in Lycksele.
– “In addition to the town being just the right size and close to everything, you develop deeper relationships when you run into the same people outside of work—like when you’re out shopping or riding your snowmobile—which gives you a sense of security.”

“We’re very welcoming in Lycksele—that’s good to know if you’re thinking about moving here. I find it very easy to get help with different things. A lot of people are willing to help and offer support,” Joacim concludes.  

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Text: Monica Wiksten Gideonsson
Photo: www.ricke.se