WKÖ Wants More Support for Apprenticeship
The support for training companies is limited to 280 million euros, which is significantly below the actual need, it was announced at a press conference of the Chamber of Commerce (WKÖ) in Vienna on Thursday. Despite the need for budget consolidation, the WKÖ calls on the government to lift the cap. The chamber argues that the elimination of support would ultimately result in higher costs for the state.
WKÖ: Need for Support for Apprenticeship Training Increases
Specifically, economic representatives expect a funding requirement of 316.5 million euros for 2025. In the following year, 2026, it would be 330 million euros. The cost of apprentice training has risen sharply in recent years, said Reinhard Kainz, Managing Director of the Federal Trade and Craft Division. Companies are thus caught between increased apprentice costs and capped support. Without a change of course, the cap could already take effect in the summer of 2025, leading to corresponding cuts in support.
This, in turn, could prompt many companies to stop offering apprenticeships. According to the WKÖ, this would ultimately also cost the state more, as other training paths, such as inter-company vocational training or vocational middle and higher schools (BMS/BHS), would require significantly more money from the state treasury, says Melina Schneider, Head of the Education Policy Department at the WKÖ. Additionally, apprentices are much more likely to have a job 18 months after completing their training than graduates of other educational paths.
Apprenticeship Training: Companies Complain About Additional Effort Due to "Educational Work and Integration Effort"
Apart from support, companies in the field of apprenticeship training also face other challenges. Many companies complain that apprentices do not have the necessary basic academic and social skills. For companies, this means additional effort due to "educational work and integration effort," said Renate Scheichelbauer-Schuster, Chairwoman of the Federal Trade and Craft Division. The increased effort is particularly challenging for small businesses. Small companies with only one apprentice make up almost half of the training companies. At the same time, there is a trend that more and more apprentices are being trained in large workshops.
(APA/Red)
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