The dual system of vocational education and youth coaching programme in Austria

1. The dual system of vocational education and youth coaching programme in Austria A Nordic conference on workbased learning – Learning for Life Iceland,25,September 2014 Ingeborg Friehs Public Employment Service Austria

2. The Austrian dual system What? • Duration: 2-4 years • Employmentcontractwiththe firm (special type –apprenticeship), remuneration • 80% company- basedlearning, 20% school • 200+ different professionswithstandardisedcurricula • Final examination –diplomaofcompleting a vocationaleducation • Possibilityofpassing an entryexamforuniversity after completingtheapprenticeship

3. The Austrian dual system Who? • 40% ofeachcohort, approx. 125.000 apprentices • Usually after finishingcompulsoryschool ( age 15) • Offersopportunities also forweakerpupils • Support fordisadvantagedandthosewhocouldn`t find an apprenticeship in a company : supra –companyapprenticeship (trainingguarantee) andintegratedvocationaleducation (oneyearmorethanusual)

4. The Austrian dual system Howto find an apprenticeshipposition? • Usuallytheyoungpersonappliesdirectly at thecompany • Support ofthe PES to find a company • Ifnoapprenticeshipplacecanbefound, youngpeoplecan do a supra –companyapprenticeship

5. The Austrian dual system Why do firmsofferapprenticeshippositions? • Long establishedsystem, widelyrecognisedtraditiontoofferapprenticeshippositions, (40.000 enterprises, eachcompanyneeds a personwhohas a trainingauthority) • Investing in company-specificknowledge • Preventingshortageofskilledworkers

6. The Austrian dual system Essential roleofsocialpartnership: • Forcompaniesandemployeesitisobligatorytobe a memberoftheChamberof Commerce ortheChamberoflabourrespectively. • Thosetwochambersarestronglycommittedtotheapprenticeshipsystem. • Theyarestronglyinvolved, in particularwithregardtothedeveopmentofnewtradesortheadaptionofthecurricula.Theoverallorientationofthe dual systemhas a strong focus on businessneeds.

7. The Austrian dual system Financing : • Enterprises developvoluntary at one`sownexpense ( thewholetraining in the firm aswellastheremunerationtotheapprentices) • Low remuneration – correspondingtothefactthatapprenticesarebasically in a learningposition but not in a fullproductiveworkingposition: Approx. 420€ in thefirstyear, 540€ in the second,770€ in thethirdand 840€ in thefourthyear( theremunerationishigher in themetalprocessingindustry ). – Correspondsto 10-20% of a skilledworkerssalary in thefirstyearand 20-50% in thethirdyearofapprenticeship. • Schools (equippment, teachers) arefinancedby State • Supra- companyapprenticeshiptrainingiscompletelyfinancedby State

8. The Austrian dual system Subsidiestoemployers: • Yearlybasicsubsidy: Itamountstothreetimestheapprentisceshipcompensation in thefirstyear, twotimes in thesecondandonce in thethirdandfourthyear • Additional qualityrelatedsubsidies ( forevery final examinationwithexcellent grades, supportforfurthereducationoftrainers, measuresforapprenticeswithlearningdeficits…) • Special incentivesforspecifictargetgroups ( women in male- dominatedoccupations, disadvantaged ) , offeredby PES orfundingsforapprenticeswithdisabilities, offeredbythe Federal Social Service

9. The Austrian dual system Advantages from a labourmarketperspective: • Training takesplaceunderconditionsof a real worklife • Always „stateoftheart“ – moreflexibilitytorespondtotechnicalprogress in comparisonto a schoolsystem. • Labour marketaccessiseasier after completingthetraining (workpracticeavailable, trainingcompanyknowsthestrengthsandweaknessesofthe individual youngperson) • Betterprospectsfordisadvantaged, latedevelopedandweakyoungpersons • Training takesplacepredominately in productiveworksituation. This reducescostsandreinforcesthelearningmotivationoftheyoungpeople.

10. The Austrian dual system Challenges: • Change in theskillsthataredemanded. Focus ischangingtomoreadapabilityandskillsthatareeasiertoinpart in schools. Frequentlyenterpriseshavetotakeovertheroleoftheyoungpeople´shomeregardingtolearn a goodbehave. • Trend towards a higherqualificationandeducation, whichallowdirectlyenteringintouniversitywiththeconsequencethatpredominantlyweakeryoungpeopleorethosewhodon`twanttogotoschoolanymorearecandidatesforapprenticeships.- Leads to a lossofimage. • Instabilityofjobsandapprenticeshippositionsisincreasingand also thecontinuance in a company after completionhasbeendecreasing. - Leads touncertainty. • In particularsectors (e.g.tourism), thereis a shortageofapprenticeswhile in summorepeoplearelookingfor an apprenticeshipthanpositionsareoffered. • Gender segregationandpersonswithmigrationbackgroundareunderrepresented –a bettervocationalorientationbecomesmoreimportant.

11. The Austrian dual system Supracompany apprenticeship: • Since 1998 offer of additional apprenticeship places (employment package), since 2008 training guarantee • Target group. Those who couldn`t find an apprenticeship position or who did drop out of a company- based apprenticeship • The priority is, to find an apprenticeship position within a company Two types: • Supra –company apprenticeship training is carried out by an educational institution: • Theoretical training in a vocational school • Practical training offered by the educational institution • Training contract during the entire time of apprenticeship, (if necessary) between the educational institution and the apprentice • Goal: completion of apprenticeship (ideally in a firm)

12. The Austrian dual system • Cooperationbetween an educationalinstitutionand a private company: • Theoreticaltraining in a vocationalschool • Practicaltraining in a company • Training contractbetwentheeducationalinstitutionandtheapprentice ( usually1 year) Goal: transfer to apprenticeship in a company Participants receivecomprehensivesupport: Socio-pedagogical counselling,learningsupport, assistencewithjobsearchorapprenticeshipsearch

13. The Austrian dual system Allowanceforparticipants: € 270 per month in thefirstandsecondyear, € 600 per monthfromthethirdyear Places in supracompanyapprenticeshiptrainingentities: around 12.000 Budget 2012/13: around 175Mio €, expenses per personandyear: around 14.000€ Labour marketintegrationwithinoneyear: morethan 50%

14. Youth Coaching Programme • Target group: youngpeopleandpeople not in education, employmentortraining (NEETS) • Goal: tokeepyoungpeoplewithintheeducationandtrainingsystemaslongaspossibleand • Effortsaremadetoensurethatthosewhohavealreadyleftthesystem will beofferedthechancetoresumetheireducationortraining. • Youth Coaching hasbeencreatedtoensuretheinterfaceofadvice, guidanceandsupportforyoungpeoplefromthe end ofcompulsoryschooluntil such time astheyarefullyintegratedintocontinuingtrainingoreducationalprogrammes. • Fields ofsupportandadviceareeducationandemploymentissuesaswellas personal issues

15. Youth Coaching Programme • Coaches offerfreesupportandareresponsibletocooperateandcommunicatewith different programmepartners(employmentservices, thefederalsocialoffice, schools, municipalities, projects, traininginstitutions, externalcounsellinginstitutions) • The pilotofthisprogrammestarted in 2012 withabout 12.500 participantsandhasbeenimplemented in 2013 nationwidewitharound 35.000 persons. • Resultofthe pilot-evaluation: Only 15% oft he participantsdropped out orlefttheprogrammewithout a specificgoalorientation, theprogrammeturned out tobeverysuccessful. • The programmeiscarried out bythe Federal Social Office.

16. Thank you for your attention!