- 2020Design
- 2021Implementation
- 2022Implementation
- 2023Implementation
- 2024Implementation
Background
A successful entry into the employment system is a necessary prerequisite for a successful employment career. This is particularly true for young people in Austria because the career path for further education and employment in Austria (compared to other countries) is set at a very early stage. Austria offers young people a wide range of advanced training, ranging from full-time general education and full-time VET schools and colleges to dual training.
Although this diversity enables young people to choose from a wide range of vocational training options, especially apprenticeships, it is also a great challenge for organised career guidance precisely because of this diversity.
In Salzburg, career guidance is offered by a number of institutions, facilities and providers both in and out of school. The offers range from information brochures, websites, tests, personal career guidance and counselling to workshops. The individual offers are coordinated to different degrees, the institutions offering them are networked with one another to different degrees, and the individual offers are also financed differently. The needs of specific target groups are not equally covered by the existing offer in all regions of Salzburg.
Objectives
The aim of the project is to develop a concept for career guidance (educational and occupational orientation) for the federal province of Salzburg. It is coordinated with all key stakeholders and implemented from a medium-term perspective.
In particular, the aim of the project is to develop a concept that:
- provides a sufficient, comprehensive range of offers in the field of career guidance for all target groups and regions in Salzburg, taking into account an optimal and efficient use of resources from a medium-term perspective;
- minimises gaps and oversupply in the field of career guidance as far as possible;
- pays special attention to the cross-educational and professional skills required in future working life (especially in the area of digital skills as well as personal and social skills);
- takes into account and integrates all key actors (the government of the federal province of Salzburg, the Education Board of Salzburg, the Public Employment Service of Salzburg, interest groups, teacher training and supporting institutions);
- also ensures the networking and cooperation of the main actors in the medium-term.
Description
The basis for this concept was the most comprehensive possible survey of the status quo of the career guidance offers and needs of young people and adults in the province of Salzburg, taking into account all subgroups and regions. Short-term and long-term proposals for measures were also included in the project.
First, the existing orientation and guidance offers in the province of Salzburg were surveyed and categorised with regard to their content, formats, target groups and regional availability. Gaps (in relation to target groups and regional availability) were identified. The results of this survey are now available in the form of an online career guidance map (BBO map).
Next, on the basis of online surveys, the needs and development opportunities of orientation and guidance in Salzburg with regard to the content, the formats, the target groups, the networking and coordination of offers and providers and the anchoring of a medium-term strategy were collected and discussed in workshops. The surveys were addressed to institutions that provide education and career guidance offers, to experts in school and extracurricular education and career guidance and to labour and education policy experts from the public sector, the social partner institutions, the labour market administration and the public schools, as well as the technical colleges and universities.
The results of these surveys and the coordination with the relevant...
The basis for this concept was the most comprehensive possible survey of the status quo of the career guidance offers and needs of young people and adults in the province of Salzburg, taking into account all subgroups and regions. Short-term and long-term proposals for measures were also included in the project.
First, the existing orientation and guidance offers in the province of Salzburg were surveyed and categorised with regard to their content, formats, target groups and regional availability. Gaps (in relation to target groups and regional availability) were identified. The results of this survey are now available in the form of an online career guidance map (BBO map).
Next, on the basis of online surveys, the needs and development opportunities of orientation and guidance in Salzburg with regard to the content, the formats, the target groups, the networking and coordination of offers and providers and the anchoring of a medium-term strategy were collected and discussed in workshops. The surveys were addressed to institutions that provide education and career guidance offers, to experts in school and extracurricular education and career guidance and to labour and education policy experts from the public sector, the social partner institutions, the labour market administration and the public schools, as well as the technical colleges and universities.
The results of these surveys and the coordination with the relevant stakeholders was documented in a summarising report, which will be discussed with relevant policy-makers to plan next steps.
Based on a comprehensive analysis of existing measures and offers, a concept for a career guidance strategy for the province of Salzburg was developed in 2020 and an online map was created to present the results of the analysis and provide an overview of existing offers.
The concept for the career guidance strategy will be presented to the political bodies for further implementation. A concrete roadmap for further implementation is not yet available.
In 2021, the educational and career orientation map was published online by the Innovation Service Salzburg (a joint venture of the Province of Salzburg, City of Salzburg, Economic Chamber and Federation of Industry). This map enables a targeted search for categorised educational and career orientation offers for different target groups in the individual regions of the federal province. The website, which also contains links to the individual offers and contact details of the providers, is updated regularly.
In 2022, the website and map were further expanded and supplemented with current offers, dates etc. In addition, a separate information page for apprenticeship information was designed under the title 'Lehre Salzburg' [Apprenticeship Salzburg], which, in addition to apprenticeship information, also presents success stories of apprentices in the form of short videos, thus providing a practical insight into apprenticeship training.
In 2023, the education and career orientation strategy for Salzburg and the STEM strategy were combined into a comprehensive work and skilled worker strategy Salzburg 2030.
In 2024, no changes took place compared to 2023.
Bodies responsible
- Federal government of Salzburg
Target groups
Learners
- Learners in upper secondary, including apprentices
- Young people (15-29 years old)
- Adult learners
Education professionals
- Guidance practitioners
Other
Thematic categories
Supporting lifelong learning culture and increasing participation
Lifelong learning refers to all learning (formal, non-formal or informal) taking place at all stages in life and resulting in an improvement or update in knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes or in participation in society from a personal, civic, cultural, social or employment-related perspective (Erasmus+, Glossary of terms, https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-d/glossary-common-terms). A systemic approach to CVET is crucial to ensure adaptability to evolving demands.
This broad thematic category looks at ways of creating opportunities and ensuring access to re-skilling and upskilling pathways, allowing individuals to progress smoothly in their learning throughout their lives with better permeability between general and vocational education and training, and better integration and compatibility between initial and continuing VET and with higher education. Individuals should be supported in acquiring and updating their skills and competences and navigating easily through education and training systems. Strategies and campaigns that promote VET and LLL as an attractive and high-quality pathway, providing quality lifelong guidance and tailored support to design learning and career paths, and various incentives (financial and non-financial) to attract and support participation in VET and LLL fall into this thematic category as well.
This thematic category also includes many initiatives on making VET inclusive and ensuring equal education and training opportunities for various groups of learners, regardless of their personal and economic background and place of residence – especially those at risk of disadvantage or exclusion, such as persons with disabilities, the low-skilled and low-qualified, minorities, migrants, refugees and others.
This thematic sub-category refers to providing high-quality lifelong learning and career guidance services, including making full use of Europass and other digital services and resources.
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Medium-term career guidance strategy for Salzburg (BBO strategy Salzburg): Austria. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/38741