Austria’s civil service program significantly enhances young people’s resilience, according to preliminary results from the 2024 Civil Service Study presented on Wednesday. Three-quarters of participants reported that their experience in civil service improved their ability to handle unfamiliar situations and increased their understanding of the needs of the sick and elderly. “This is of immeasurable value for our society,” said State Secretary Claudia Plakolm (ÖVP) during a press conference.
The study, conducted by the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) on behalf of the Federal Chancellery, surveyed 14,616 individuals in 2023 using both quantitative and qualitative methods. During the survey, 73.8% of the civil servants were between 20 and 21 years old, with 70% being high school graduates and 20% apprentices. Most participants served in emergency medical services. This is the third civil service study, following those conducted in 2012 and 2020. According to Christian Grünhaus from WU Vienna, final results are expected by the year’s end.
In 2023, civil service workers contributed over 16 million hours of service, with 8.6% of them continuing in the same field professionally afterward. Grünhaus emphasized that civil service plays a crucial role in maintaining the quality of care in many social sectors and often serves as an entry point into volunteer work, with one-third of participants continuing in volunteer roles. “This is significant,” he noted.
State Secretary Plakolm also highlighted this aspect, noting that civil service has an impact beyond nine months. She described the program as a “headhunter for the social sector,” as it brings many workers into the field. However, she stressed that civil service alone cannot solve staffing issues in the social sector, and more full-time professionals are needed.
The transition from civil service to a full-time career is particularly successful in emergency medical services, mainly due to the opportunity for participants to train as paramedics. Plakolm noted that a basic training program in nursing has also been established as a “first step” toward professional development in that field. “The ball is now in the court of the states to adopt this offer,” she said.
Plakolm described civil service as an “integral pillar of Austria’s social system” and “indispensable.” She emphasized that the data and insights gathered from the civil service study provide a “crucial foundation for policymaking.” Based on the initial findings, the ÖVP politician concluded, “We must maintain and further develop compulsory military service.”
