“English must become a given”

“We need talent”says Sok-Kheng Taing, Cambodia-born co-founder of the IT group Dynatrace with a large location in Linz. She and IHS boss Holger Bonin were guests at the start of the year’s economic policy by Governor Thomas Stelzer (VP). “People don’t apply to us. We, the company and the location, apply to potential employees all over the world”said Sok Kheng Taing. That’s why, in addition to a welcoming culture, quality of life and infrastructure, it’s important “English is becoming a matter of course in Upper Austria – from all official channels to public transport”. It’s getting better, but it could happen faster.

Stelzer referred to one “constant development and expansion of educational and care offerings”. The new digital university runs entirely in English.

For the governor, Upper Austria faces three central challenges: workforce, digitalization/research and energy. Active labor market policy and skilled worker strategy “are consistently continued”Upper Austria should be established as a European center for digitalization and transformation, energy supply and competitive energy prices must be ensured.