As the baby boom generation begins their well-earned retirement, teacher shortages are increasing in certain regions and subjects. To fill the gaps, efforts are being made, among other things, to motivate experienced teachers to teach longer or to take them out of retirement.
In Vienna, Styria, Salzburg and Vorarlberg, teachers about to retire are aggressively courted. The Styrian education directorate emphasized that this is intended to cope with staff shortages, but also to maintain the competence of experienced colleagues in school operations.
Retired teachers will be contacted
In Styria, school boards were actively asked to approach teachers of retirement age if they wanted to continue teaching – even with fewer hours. Teachers who have already retired would also be contacted – and “quite a few” said yes. At the same time, the school management should draw up a personnel concept with a view to the next five years, taking into account the age structure at the location.
Transfer students and high school graduates should also help
Another way to make up for the shortage of teachers is to shorten teacher training and the “Class Job” campaign, which aims to attract more career changers and high school graduates into the teaching profession. Until now, the Lower Austrian Directorate of Education has mainly relied on students rather than retirees to fill vacancies, and in individual cases they approach retired teachers directly.
Also in Carinthia, where according to the education department there are far fewer staff shortages than in other federal states, the recruitment of teachers with a retirement age is not an issue for the time being. According to the Education Department, no measures are necessary in Burgenland either. One of these is in constant contact with the school management and can thus be completed in good time upon retirement.
Number still manageable
All in all, the number of retired teachers still teaching is manageable at the moment. In the current school year, there are 42 people in mandatory schools (primarily elementary and high school) in all federal states, and about 30 are in federal schools, according to the Department of Education.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
