New talent for Boden – every week more people join Stegra

Soft snowflakes fall outside as the newcomers step through the entrance for the first time. Inside one of Stegra’s larger meeting rooms, 15 people take their seats around the table, filled with anticipation ahead of their first working day.

During the introduction round, people share stories of their journeys from India, Ireland, Australia, England, Egypt, South Africa and France. Others come from Boden and Luleå. A few still have their luggage with them, having arrived by train or plane just minutes before.

Today, the introduction takes place at Stegra’s city office in the heart of Boden. When the groups are larger, the onboarding moves to training facilities at Kårbacken, a few minutes outside the city centre. But the format is the same: a first day where people from across the globe meet around the same table and begin building the Stegra that is taking shape.

“Every Tuesday is different. Every group is unique, which makes our work both important and developing. We always have to sense who is in front of us and meet people where they are,” says Evelina Eriksson, who leads parts of the introduction process.

A steady flow of expertise – week after week

Stegra is in a phase where the inflow of competence is crucial. To launch the world’s first large-scale green steel plant and Europe’s largest hydrogen facility, the company needs everything from engineers and safety specialists to crane operators and mechanics.

Each week, a new group of 10 to 40 people arrives to take part in the same introduction before moving on to internal training tailored to their roles.

Today, Stegra has over 600 employees representing more than 45 nationalities.

“It feels like I get to travel every week, without ever leaving Boden. People come here with their stories, their energy, their skills – and we meet them on their very first day in their new life,” says Iara Cubitcaia, Training Coordinator at Stegra.

One of those taking part in this week’s introduction is Antonious Naguib, who moved to Boden with his family from Egypt to work as Technical Lead for the hot rolling mill.

“I was very happy to hear that Stegra already brings together people from over 45 nationalities. When people from all over the world meet, you get many perspectives. Together we see the whole picture and can solve things better. That makes me both proud and excited for what we are starting here,” he says.

For his family, the move to Boden has already been marked by a sense of security:

“The relocation team helped us with everything. My eldest daughter is already enrolled at the international school, and we’re arranging places for the younger children as well. We really want to become part of the community – all of us,” says Antonious.

An introduction that goes beyond work tasks

During the first week, all new employees receive the same foundation: safety training, first aid, fire protection and union information. But the onboarding process is much broader.

“We are a Swedish company, but also an internationally shaped one, where our culture is created by everyone who joins us. We cannot say ‘this is how we work in Sweden’. We have to meet people where they are and build the culture together. This is where we lay that foundation,” says Evelina.

Every week, the work is adapted to the group’s needs and backgrounds.

"Everyone comes with different experiences and different starting points. That affects the conversations that arise and the questions people ask. We have to be attentive and adjust the pace,” she explains.

Culture Quest – meeting each other in nature

An important part of the introduction is Culture Quest, where new employees spend a full day and night together in nature.

"Letting people meet outside the meeting rooms and experience the power of nature really does something. It builds psychological safety, a sense of community and a deeper understanding of why we do what we do,” says Evelina.

Boden is growing – one Tuesday at a time

What happens at Stegra’s office every Tuesday is more than an introduction.

It is the beginning of hundreds of new lives in Boden – a development clearly visible this year as the municipality has grown by more than 400 residents in the first three quarters alone.

It is voices, languages, skills and experiences that are shaping a new industrial reality – and a community in transformation.

Every Tuesday, Boden becomes a little larger. A little more international. A little more future.

Iara Cubitcaia and Evelina Eriksson welcome new colleagues to Stegra every week, guiding them into the company’s routines, culture and community.