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533 young people between the ages of 15 and 24 are currently looking for an apprenticeship in Upper Austria – there are enough vacancies with 1791. Compared to the previous year, almost 20 percent more young people are looking for an apprenticeship. In comparison: Austria-wide, this number rose by 6.4 percent. The number of unemployed young people is also almost five percent higher than in the previous year. Many young people drop out of school or vocational training for a variety of reasons. This also increases the risk that they will slip into unemployment and become socially excluded. This affects not only the financial but also the psychosocial level. The likelihood of permanently lower income increases, life satisfaction and the state of health run the risk of deteriorating.
In order to counteract these developments and to support young people in successfully completing their education, the Upper Austrian Chamber of Labor has set up a training fund. AK will spend 3.5 million euros by the end of 2024. “We will not only criticize, but also invest membership fees to combat youth unemployment,” says AK President Andreas Stangl. Pilot projects that deal with the strengthening of disadvantaged target groups or the avoidance of dropping out of training should receive funding. “The projects should be practice-oriented and increase training opportunities,” says Andrea Heimberger, director of AK Oberösterreich. “In addition, they should ideally bring long-term improvement.”
Jury evaluates eligible projects
It is not the Chamber of Labor that decides which projects receive funding, but a jury made up of experts from the fields of educational research and the labor market. For Erna Nairz, chairwoman of the Vienna University of Economics and Business, avoiding dropouts is an important issue. “Every euro that is invested pays for itself many times over in training, prevention and the re-entry of young people into the labor market.”
Submissions until April 30 at www.ak-bildungsfonds.at
Source: Nachrichten
