The City of Vienna has announced a series of measures to tackle rising unemployment, particularly among young people.

According to the Public Employment Service Austria (AMS), 118,197 people were registered as unemployed in Vienna in August. Among those under the age of 25, the figure stands at 12,993, an increase of more than 1,000 since July.

In response, Vienna’s City Councillor for Economic Affairs, Peter Hanke, outlined tailor-made initiatives in a press release. These include expanding the youth college (Jugendcollege), a free education program for immigrant teenagers and young adults from both EU and non-EU countries, to accommodate 4,000 places.

The city, in collaboration with the Chamber of Labour and the Chamber of Commerce, has also pledged increased support for companies offering apprenticeship training and announced the creation of the Vienna Youth Foundation, set to launch in January 2025. The foundation aims to provide training and further education for up to 1,000 young people in Vienna by the end of 2028.

The Öko-Booster project, which offers training in climate-related professions, will also be extended.

“The best way to combat rising unemployment is through an active labour market policy,” Hanke emphasised, while urging the federal government to provide additional funding for the AMS.