Dual Vocational Training and Skills in Austria

Vocational Educational Training (VET) - systems face dynamically growing challenges due to digitalization, climate change and globalization. This has a great impact on the working world and on skills development. Increasing skill requirements demand flexible job profiles at all qualification levels. Therefore, apprenticeship-systems (Dual VET-systems) have to respond quickly and flexibly to new requirements in the economy due to technical developments, digitization, sustainability and ecology as well as energy-efficiency in work and production processes. 

On the one hand, we have to tackle an increasing demand for qualified workers  and on the other hand adapted competences. Transversal skills, particularly skills in digitalization and climate protection, are essential to make the apprenticeship system future-fit.

In cooperation with stakeholders the BMAW improves apprenticeship training by

• ongoing modernisation of apprenticeships (by implementing digital elements in established occupations as well as introducing new apprenticeships like "Application Development Coding" and "E-Commerce-Trading")
• modularisation of apprenticeships (improved options to combine training modules, facilitates the validation of previously obtained qualifications and reacts to the needs of specific industries)
• integrated vocational training (tailored VET for disadvantaged youth)
• incentives for training companies (new subsidisation scheme which also takes account of quality in training)
• supporting internships abroad
• combination of "apprenticeship & Matura" (permeability of education pathways) 

You can find detailed information in the brochure Apprenticeship system - Dual Vocational Education and Training in Austria (PDF, 1 MB)

News and further information

• List of all apprenticeship occupations (bic)
• Apprenticeship system - Dual Vocational Education and Training in Austria (PDF, 1 MB)
• Platform for instructors and trainers (available only in German): Institute for Research on Qualifications and Training of the Austrian Economy (Institut für Bildungsforschung der Wirtschaft – ibw)

Contact

Vocational Training: lehre_berufsausbildung@bmaw.gv.at