Career guidance

Apprenticeship

Long-term youth unemployment is considered to be a serious problem by the Austrian Federal Chamber of Commerce (WKÖ). An innovative Job Coaching project for long-term unemployed youth aims at giving youth aged between 15 and 25 a chance to get a job or, alternatively, access to education. It provides for a personal coach who helps the adolescent deal with relevant government authorities (i.e. the Public Employment Service), possible future employers and, finally, encourages them to retain a job or work placement. The coaches are in permanent personal contact with the young people. They contact suitable employers and accompany young people to job-interviews.

• Involves the employers' organization (WKÖ) and Public Employment Service, thereby bridging supply and demand; 
• Combines training on core skills for employability, personal coaching and job placement;
• Is co-funded by the employers' organization and the Public Employment Service.

Career guidance

In 2001 the Federation of Austrian Industry started the project Industry turns female. A website was created to motivate young girls to undertake a technical-oriented education that leads to a career in industry. Since the career path is decided quite early in the school system, the initiative targets girls aged 12 to 14. The initiative tries to cover all educational and vocational institutions (apprenticeships, technical colleges, polytechnics and universities).

• Recognizes that in order to reach the target group, programmes need to be geared to the aspirations of youth;           
• Targets girls at an appropriate age in the career decision cycle;
• Targets key stakeholders in the process, not just the recipients.

Advocacy

Since 2005, Deichmann, a major shoe retailer, has been holding a yearly competition for employers and companies that have been active in creating employment opportunities for disadvantaged young  people. The award is given to private companies (mostly SMEs) and public organizations that have been especially committed to helping youth with disabilities. The main goal is to set incentives to companies to combat rising youth unemployment.

• Promotional initiative in the form of awards;
• Targets enterprises that have created jobs, especially for young people with disabilities.