Work-based learning can be a powerful tool to support the school-to-work transition of young people. It gives them the opportunity to develop the technical and employability skills that employers are looking for in the workplace and to build a network. For companies it can be an important means to tackle skills shortages and overcome hiring difficulties. However, providing work-based learning can be burdensome for companies, especially SMEs that do not always have the capacity to deliver all the necessary training components and deal with the administrative requirements. To support companies in their work-based learning provision, Austria has set up a system of training alliances.
Training alliances – Austria
Abstract
Training alliances support companies that cannot provide the full range of skills to apprentices required for the specific occupation. Such alliances can involve an exchange of apprentices between two or more companies; sending apprentices to one or several other companies or to their training workshop (usually for payment); and attendance of courses or programmes at training institutions against a fee. However, the majority of the learning outcomes central to an apprenticeship occupation must be acquired in the “home” company. In the training contract, the training alliance, the alliance partner(s), as well as the learning outcomes acquired outside the “home” company must be agreed on. It is also possible to enter into training alliances on a voluntary basis if training companies aim to impart special competences to apprentices – possibly going beyond the competence profile.
Some Austrian provinces support training alliances by providing information and support to companies about possible partner enterprises and educational institutions, and co‑ordinating activities. Companies in a training alliance can receive a subsidy to cover costs that arise from the training alliance. Up to 75% of the course costs for voluntary training associations can be refunded, going up to 100% for mandatory measures. The maximum amount of funding is EUR 3 000 per apprenticeship.
Data on participation in training alliances are patchy. A 2008 estimate suggested that at least 5 000 training firms, or 15 000 apprentices, were organised in training alliances. Quantitative analysis suggests that the training alliances increase the number of apprenticeships available, especially among SMEs. Willingness to participate in training alliances voluntarily depends on companies’ attitude towards personnel development and knowledge transfer. Interviews with companies have suggested that training alliances help to improve the quality of apprenticeship provision.
In 2021, an extended version of the Training Alliance Programme was implemented in Vienna to support companies in the tourism and leisure industries severely affected by COVID‑19. The provincial government through its Apprenticeship Offices (Lehrlingsstellen) facilitates the training alliances and assists in finding partners for companies interested in stablishing new alliances, thus contributing to the overall availability of workplaces, especially for young people. Additionally, disseminating information about the benefits of the Training Alliance Programme serves to increase the motivation of both companies and apprentices to consider participating in the programme.
Further reading
[1] Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs (2022), Apprenticeship system: The Dual System of Vocational Education and Training in Austria, https://www.bmaw.gv.at/en/Topics/Vocational-Training-and-Skills/Apprenticeship-system.html.
[2] Lachmayr, N. and H. Dornmayr (2008), Ausbildungsverbünde in Österreich – Potenzial zusätzlicher Lehrstellen, https://ibw.at/resource/download/1307/oeibf-ibw-endbericht-ausbildungsverbund,pdf.
[3] WKO (2024), Ausbildungsverbund - die Förderungen, https://www.wko.at/wien/bildung-lehre/ausbildungsverbund-wien.
[4] WKO (2021), Lehrausbildungsverbünde für die Wiener Hotellerie- und Gastronomiebranche, https://www.wko.at/service/w/bildung-lehre/lehrausbildungsverbuende-hotellerie-gastronomie.html.
This document, as well as any data and map included herein, are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area.
© OECD 2024
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
This work is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. By using this work, you accept to be bound by the terms of this licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Attribution – you must cite the work.
Translations – you must cite the original work, identify changes to the original and add the following text: In the event of any discrepancy between the original work and the translation, only the text of original work should be considered valid.
Adaptations – you must cite the original work and add the following text: This is an adaptation of an original work by the OECD. The opinions expressed and arguments employed in this adaptation should not be reported as representing the official views of the OECD or of its Member countries.
Third-party material – the licence does not apply to third-party material in the work. If using such material, you are responsible for obtaining permission from the third party and for any claims of infringement.
You must not use the OECD logo, visual identity or cover image without express permission or suggest the OECD endorses your use of the work.
Any dispute arising under this licence shall be settled by arbitration in accordance with the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) Arbitration Rules 2012. The seat of arbitration shall be Paris (France). The number of arbitrators shall be one.
