Enrollment surge at SOSU school in Aarhus amid growing care sector challenges
At the SOSU school in Aarhus, officials have recently reviewed enrollment figures, discovering a significant increase in student numbers over the past year. Anette Schmidt Laursen, director of SOSU Østjylland, noted that over 100 new students are starting today. “In the last three admissions before summer, we observed an unusually high demand for our courses—about 10-15 percent above our projections,” she stated.
One contributing factor to this unexpected rise has been a partnership with Aarhus Municipality, which allows new students to receive a salary for their first six months instead of standard educational support. Additionally, mentors have been assigned to assist students as they transition from classroom learning to practical experience, helping to mitigate “practice shock.”
Despite this positive trend, a new analysis by consultancy firm COWI reveals a grim outlook for the future of the care sector, indicating that the shortage of social and healthcare workers is a pressing issue that is likely to worsen in the coming years.
Aarhus has implemented various initiatives over the years to bolster enrollment and reduce dropout rates, including a “buddy system” where older students support newcomers and extensive language assistance for up to 20 percent of students.
While the recent rise in enrollments in Aarhus is promising, the overall enrollment numbers across SOSU schools nationwide have remained relatively flat compared to four years ago. Lisbeth Nørgaard, head of Danske SOSU schools, emphasizes that other regions should adopt successful strategies from Aarhus, although differences in municipal compensation for students pose challenges.
Additionally, a new wage agreement for SOSU employees will significantly raise salaries for trained professionals starting in January 2026. Aarhus officials are committed to investing in programs that attract and retain more SOSU students to address the ongoing recruitment crisis in the care sector.