OeAD launches apprenticeship campaign “Apprenticeships without Borders”

Mobility, language skills and international work experience enrich the world of education and work in Austria

The European Commission has promoted mobility in vocational education and training since 1995. Nevertheless, many companies and apprentices do not know that Erasmus+ is also available to them. Approximately 10,000 Austrian apprentices have so far ventured to look beyond the rim of their teacups, and many more are expected to do so. There are still significantly fewer apprentices who complete a stay abroad than pupils or students. The OeAD, as the national agency for Erasmus+, has therefore launched the Instagram campaign “Apprenticeships without Borders” in cooperation with the Austrian Chamber of Commerce. The campaign aims to encourage apprentices to take a first step towards broadening their horizons and embarking on an Erasmus+ adventure.
The minister of education, Martin Polaschek, emphasises: “Mobility, language skills and international work experience enrich the world of education and work in Austria. The possibility of work placements for apprentices with companies all over Europe also increases the attractiveness and quality of dual training. For schools and training centres the Erasmus+ programme is an upgrade of the educational offer and provides an additional incentive for young people to take up an apprenticeship. This provides additional educational and vocational opportunities and also strengthens the European idea among apprentices.”
The OeAD’s managing director, Jakob Calice, emphasises the advantages for apprentices: “A work placement abroad is not only an adventure for a young person in an apprenticeship. With the Erasmus+ mobility programme apprentices have the possibility to work in companies all over Europe and gain valuable experience. This not only has a positive effect on their training in Austria but also on their careers. The Erasmus+ programme has been proven to boost young people’s self-confidence and independence, offer them the possibility to get to know another country and its culture, make new friends and establish international business connections.”
What students take for granted today is something apprentices often still shy away from. Besides the language barrier there is also the fact that especially in small companies their manpower is lacking during their stay abroad.
Nevertheless, this change of perspective is a win-win situation for both sides, emphasises the Austrian Chamber of Commerce’s vice president, Amelie Groß: “It is not only a unique experience for the young people but companies also benefit from additional expertise and international networks. The experience and learning opportunities abroad that Erasmus+ offers bring new approaches and perspectives to the companies, which can give them a tremendous competitive advantage.”
In Austria “dual training” takes place at two learning locations: Approximately 80 per cent of the training time is spent in a company and approximately 20 per cent at a vocational school. There are more than 200 occupations that are associated with an apprenticeship.
Erasmus+
The OeAD, Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalisation, is the national agency responsible for the implementation of Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps. Since 1995 the EU programme Erasmus+ and its predecessors have enabled apprentices, pupils at vocational schools and skilled workers to do work placements abroad. Since the programme period 2021–2027 work placements abroad in vocational education and training have also been possible worldwide under certain conditions. In 2020 more than 1,000 placements of apprentices that were planned before Covid-19 were approved for the first time. The aim is to double this number every year.
Information about the campaign: www.lehreohnegrenzen.at
Social media kit: www.lehreohnegrenzen.at/mediakit