Demographic changes are intensifying the battle for young people. Many companies therefore add something extra to the training – from bonuses and vouchers to iPads and motorcycles. Read here what the offer is and why not all companies follow this route.
Moving buckets with a mini excavator, decorating gingerbread a few meters away, mixing cocktails at the next exhibitor – at the Jugend&Berufs trade fair in Wels, training companies and educational institutions competed for the attention of young people who are faced with the choice of which education they want to follow. should pursue further needs.
Due to demographic changes, the gap between young talent is increasing, especially because the matching must also be good. And that is not so easy, as the current figures from the employment service underline: in September, more than 1,940 apprenticeship places were unfilled in Upper Austria, while there were 917 boys and girls who wanted to start vocational training.
More and more companies are therefore adding more value to traditional training. For example, Spar offers trainees a bonus of more than 6,700 euros for excellent performance. The best students also receive an iPad after their first year of training.
Salary alone is no longer enough
Motorcycle manufacturer KTM rewards those who complete the training with a motorcycle with very good or good success. At BMW Steyr you get a success bonus and 1,500 euros for your driver’s license. Diskonter Hofer pays well above the collective labor agreement for the first three years of the training, transfers a bonus upon positive completion of the internship and, depending on success, also issues travel or goods vouchers. At the same time, the company, which operates from Sattledt, emphasizes: an attractive salary alone is no longer sufficient to attract potential applicants. Flexibility, the compatibility of work and leisure or the employer’s contribution to environmental protection are important to them.
Thomas Saliger, spokesperson for furniture retail giant XXXLutz from Wels, takes a similar line: “We have completed campaigns such as driving licenses and free tablets. What matters to young people and parents is a sustainable, safe job with a thorough education in a large, successful company.”
“We show that the industry can be completely different”
Plant manufacturer Fill relies on the career orientation factor. Every year, between 4,000 and 5,000 children and young people receive insight from the company in Gurten. “We show that the industry can be completely different than is often imagined,” says boss Andreas Fill. There is a high demand for internships, he emphasizes.
Yet many training companies can no longer find enough young people. “That is why we believe that competition for students is not beneficial. “Joint initiatives are needed to change the status of apprenticeships in society,” says Sarah Metter, head of the training center at plastics processor Greiner.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
