As a young man, Joacim Rønningsen dropped out of high school and spent a full year drifting without a clear direction. School just wasn't for him. Today, in his early 30s, he is a long-standing employee at Lians and recently earned his trade certificate as a car mechanic!
We will return to Joacim Rønningsen later in this article. But first, a look at the concept of social exclusion.
Nationally, approximately 120,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 live on the margins of society. In our region, that number is around 650.
Social exclusion is not just about being alone; it’s about a lack of connection to society. It can be described as a feeling that the "social contract" doesn't apply to you. The most common arenas for exclusion are:
For the individual, this can lead to loneliness, poor health, and a sense of being useless. For society, it is a challenge because we lose vital resources, leading to higher costs and diminished trust between people.
One way to explain it is this: If "the community" is a party, social exclusion is not being invited—or standing outside the window looking in, unable to open the door. Anyone can experience this during their lifetime. Examples include:
On January 27, 2026, the newspaper Folkebladet highlighted this issue, featuring Lians as a prime example of a company making a positive difference. Today, several of our employees have experienced social exclusion firsthand, but now feel fully included and integrated! At Lians, we believe that caring is a given, and our experience with giving people a chance has been exclusively positive. People who transition from exclusion often become our greatest assets.
In fact, a remarkably high proportion of our staff—around one-quarter—has been recruited through NAV (the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration) and various integration programs. General Manager Hege Lian is very proud of this:
"I believe that as employers, we need to read CVs differently. It's easy to get hung up on school absences, but our experience shows that many who struggled with attendance at school have almost zero absence once they enter a work environment where they are given responsibility, feel valued, and can contribute their skills."
Back to Joacim, who dropped out of high school at 16 and spent a full year drifting at home. School wasn't for him. He joined Lians at 17, tried his hand at different tasks, and truly found his calling when he started working on cars. He loves it!"It has taken time, and the road has been winding, but I have now earned my trade certificate as a car mechanic," says Joacim.
Lars also joined Lians through the NAV system. He started in a 50% position last May and is now employed at 75%. He feels fully included in a work environment he enjoys:"I was starting to struggle with social anxiety. I was afraid to go to the store and tried to avoid people. But that’s completely gone now. I’ve simply gained a new and better life."
Dagfinn has been with Lians since 2010. After a car accident at age 11 left its mark, he found his place here. His manager describes him as a "key person" in the company who contributes across many areas.
Arne Bjørnar Langnes, Technical Manager at Lians, is clear that he has a highly competent workforce:"Most people who have come here have performed exceptionally well and become vital resources. It’s about feeling secure in your surroundings. I would argue that a company has nothing to lose by recruiting in collaboration with NAV," Langnes concludes.
– We are very proud of all our employees and the inclusive work environment we have built here at Lians!
Read the full story in Folkebladet here!
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