Image: Max Mayrhofer
Thomas Stelzer’s last appearance in music theater wasn’t that long ago: In September 2022, the state VP last invited to the “Land of Opportunities” format. Today, the event with more than 600 guests took place again on the date on which it was created: Stelzer’s assumption of office as governor in April 2017.
A challenge that was already a topic in Stelzer’s speech in September ran like a red thread through the governor’s speech today: How does Upper Austria manage to keep enough workers?
“We will have to continue to do everything we can to ensure that the economy can find the employees that it so urgently needs,” said Stelzer. The same applies to the areas of school, health, care and administration. “All of this is only possible if everyone works enough in total – and above all if the vast majority work full-time,” said Stelzer. There must be tax incentives for this.
Stelzer also announced a “further, strong expansion” of childcare. As in the autumn, he acknowledged the influx of qualified workers from abroad. “We also need more people from outside, from third countries.”
Stelzer’s speech made no mention of the fact that just this week an Indian family from Haslach (Rohrbach district) was deported despite protests from the community, although both mother and daughter worked in shortage occupations (cook or training as a nurse).
“No beauty price” when founding a digital university
A comprehensive range of educational opportunities is no less important. Stelzer called the founding of the digital university historic – even if the “start is a bit difficult and we won’t win a beauty prize for the founding phase,” as he conceded. In any case, politicians have “done their homework” and now it is “it’s up to the university people and science to fill the university with life”. He trusts in their “willingness and ability” as well as their “sense of responsibility, so that the difficult start becomes a bright lighthouse.”
In addition, Stelzer called for an increase in medical study places. “It is incomprehensible that every year thousands of prospective students hope in vain for a place at university – and at the same time we run out of doctors,” he said.
After Stelzer’s speech, the speakers this afternoon are Werner Zöchling from Steyr, team developer in professional football and the German author Matthias Nöllke as well as two Upper Austrians who have explored the world from here: nature filmmaker and “Terra Mater” presenter Birgit Peters and the Innviertel Michael Puttinger, who sailed around Africa.
Source: Nachrichten
