WAFF Training Account

PDF Version
Name of the instrument - Local language
WAFF Bildungskonto
Name of the instrument - English translation
WAFF Training Account
Scheme ID
7
Country
Austria
Reporting year
2020
Type of instrument
Grant for individuals
Sub-type of instrument
Cost-related support
Type of entry
Example for a group of instruments
Short description

Employees with a monthly net income below EUR 1 800 may receive public contributions to their costs for education and training. The eligible education and training activities have to be relevant for the current occupation of the learner and have to be provided by an approved training provider. The co-funding share is up to 50% of the costs for education and training up to a maximum of EUR 2 000 (for one training). The Vienna Bundesländer agency WAFF manages the measure. The funding is covered from the Budget of Vienna Bundesländer. The grant can be re-used after a break of a particular period. There is no preferential treatment.

Level of operation
Regional
Name of a part of the country
Not applicable
Name of the region (for regional instruments)
Vienna
Name of the sector (for sectoral instruments)
Not applicable
Relevance
Key instrument
Decision Local Government (Vienna (country budget, country law)); Decision by board of management and trustees of the waff (Vienna Employment Promotion Fund)
Objective(s) and target(s)
To improve the qualications of Vienna's population; promoting individual opportunities in the labour market.
Year of implementation
1998
Operation/management
The Vienna Bundesländer has an agency WAFF - Vienna Employment Promotion Fund - with its own legal status which is responsible - among many other activities - for providing co-funding for adult learning. The schemes of the WAFF are being changed continuously.
Eligible group(s)
Inactive, unemployed, public employees, "new self-employed"; adults in training leave; adults with a monthly net income below 1 800.
Group(s) with preferential treatment
No preferential treatment
Education and training eligible
Education and training relevant for applicant's profession, delivered by approved training provider (holding a particular quality certification of Vienna or a comparable certification of another Austrian Bundesländer).
Source of financing and collection mechanism
Budget of Vienna Bundesländer matching: individual
Financing formula and allocation mechanisms
Co-funding: Up to 50% of the costs for education and training up to a maximum of 2000. NOT eligible are: costs for travel, accommodation and meals, registration and registration fees, books, scripts, governmental fees, hobby and leisure courses, coaching, supervision, self-experience courses and the like; formal graduation: school final exam, apprenticeship exam, etc.; studies at universities and technical colleges, and similar educational institutions under public law, for which there are already school grants, scholarships or similar support provided by the public sector. Parts of studies and individual semester course fees. Allocation: Application is made by the invididual at least 3 months after the end of the training. If the grant is awarded, it is transmitted to the individual's bank account.
Eligible costs
Fees only
Volumes of funding
Not available
Beneficiaries/take up
Not available
Organisation responsible for monitoring/evaluation
A regular monitoring is implemented; comparable pre-runner schemes had been evaluated (https://www.waff.at/html/de/index.aspx?page_url=Berichte&mid=392#Evalui…)
Most relevant webpage - in English
https://www.waff.at/en/grants/training-account/
Most relevant webpage - local language
https://www.waff.at/foerderungen/bildungskonto/
Recent changes

No recent amendment

Recent changes in response to COVID-19

No changes

Sources
waff (2019) - Geschäftsbericht 2019 (https://www.waff.at/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/waff_gb_2019__a4_quer__d…)
https://www.waff.at/foerderungen/bildungskonto/das-bildungskonto-fuer-u…
Hefler, Günter, Markowitsch, Jörg, & Fleischer, Viktor (2013). Diffusion und Handlungslogiken nachfrageorientierter Kofinanzierung individueller beruflicher Weiterbildung in Österreich. In B. Käpplinger, R. Klein & E. Haberzeth (Eds.), Weiterbildungsgutscheine - Wirkungen eines Finanzierungsmodells in vier europäischen Ländern (pp. 345-376). Bielefeld: WBV.
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