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Due to an amendment to the Vocational Training Act (BAG), since 1 May 2020 it has also been possible to complete apprenticeship training on a part-time basis. The aim is to make access to apprenticeship training easier for people for whom full-time training was previously difficult due to care obligations or health restrictions.
School closures and short-time work in companies as part of the measures to combat the corona pandemic also affect vocational education and training (VET). Even though schools have been gradually reopening since the beginning of May 2020 and apprenticeship-leave examinations are taking place again, the coming summer and autumn have further challenges in store.
The national qualifications framework (NQF) has not only led to more transparency in the qualifications landscape, but has also triggered several discussions on education policy in Austria. One of them concerns higher vocational education and training (HVET), which is to be made more visible by creating a separate education segment.
Since 15 November 2019, it has been possible in Austria to assign non-legally regulated qualifications to the national qualifications framework (NQF). This means that all qualifications can now be allocated to the NQF – regardless of whether they are the responsibility of a ministry or a private provider.
95% of companies see lifelong learning as a (very) important education policy issue in the coming years, as per a recent survey conducted among 500 companies by the platform for occupational CVET. Pure forms of classroom-based training continue to dominate in company-based continuing vocational education and training (CVET).
In-company trainers are responsible for about 80% of the apprentices' training time. This means they play a key role in the dual training system but have received little attention so far. An ibw survey conducted among 1 000 trainers now gives this group more visibility. A positive fact that emerged is that 98% of the trainers enjoy their work.
One of the challenges in the Austrian apprenticeship training system is to make it attractive for upper secondary school graduates. In the province of Upper Austria, a new concept was piloted in the school year 2018-19 to that effect: the dual academy. After the first positive experiences of the last year, the concept is now being rolled out in other provinces and expanded to include additional qualification options.
Promoting innovative teaching and learning is the order of the day at a time of rapid technological developments and a changing world of work and professional life. MINT disciplines are at the centre of these developments. In June 2019, 120 education institutions were awarded the MINT quality seal.
The winning teams of the #CedefopPhotoAward 2019 competition come from Austria, Croatia and Romania.
With 70% of upper secondary students following vocational studies, vocational education and training (VET) is highly valued in Austria.