The Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKÖ) is concerned about a financing gap in state vocational training support for this year. The funding is capped at €280 million, which is significantly below the required amount, as stated in a press conference on Thursday in Vienna. Despite budget consolidation, WKÖ is calling for the removal of this cap. A failure in funding would ultimately cost the state more, according to the Chamber.
Specifically, business representatives estimate a funding requirement of €316.5 million for 2025 and €330 million for the following year, 2026. The cost of apprenticeship training has risen significantly in recent years, said Reinhard Kainz, Managing Director of the Chamber of Commerce’s Trade and Crafts Division. Businesses are thus caught between rising apprentice costs and capped funding. Without a course correction, the cap could be hit as early as the summer of 2025, leading to corresponding funding cuts.
This, in turn, could prompt many companies to stop offering apprenticeships. According to WKÖ, this would ultimately cost the state more, as alternative training paths like inter-company vocational training or higher vocational schools (BMS/BHS) require much more financial support from the state, says Melina Schneider, head of the WKÖ’s Education Policy Department. Additionally, apprentices are 18 months after their training more likely to find a job compared to graduates of other educational pathways.
Increased Challenges for Training Companies
Aside from funding, companies are also facing other challenges in the apprenticeship sector. Many businesses complain that apprentices lack the necessary school and social skills. For companies, this means additional effort in terms of “educational work and integration,” said Renate Scheichelbauer-Schuster, Chairwoman of the Trade and Crafts Division of WKÖ.
The increased effort is particularly challenging for small businesses. Small companies with just one apprentice make up almost half of the training businesses. At the same time, there is a trend toward more apprentices being trained in large workshops.
