The city of Vienna sets an important economic policy accent with the first women’s foundation: the federal capital is investing 1.7 million euros in the professional qualification of 100 women without completed vocational training. The innovative pilot project of the Viennese employee funding fund (WAFF) in cooperation with the AMS Vienna starts in autumn 2025 and combines comprehensive professional orientation with free training and financial security. The details of the Women’s Foundation presented Mayor Michael Ludwig, Women’s Councilor Kathrin Gaál and City Councilor Barbara Novak in the Vienna town hall today.
The starting point and the focus of the economic focus in autumn 2025
The city of Vienna focuses on economic policy in autumn. Economic development in Vienna shows positive tendencies, since according to Bank Austria, Vienna was only forecast economic growth in 2024 and the number of employed employees in Vienna has already increased by 1.0 percent, said Mayor Ludwig. Vienna follows a strategic approach based on a positive cycle. More employment leads to increasing private consumption, which in turn brumbles company investments and thereby drives up to economic growth. This development is already evident in various industries, the Vienna Conference Industry 2024 with 6,600 congresses and company meetings recorded the best performance of all time. In addition, high-performance data centers should contribute to the development of AI models and strengthen Vienna as a technology location, says Mayor Michael Ludwig, who underlined the economic policy dimension of the initiative: “Economic growth creates additional jobs-we do not make this an end in itself, but as a targeted investment in the future. Invested, not only the individual life of our city. We not only create prospects with the women’s foundation. Realize justice. “
Vienna as a pioneer for successful labor market policy
Vienna is the federal state with the highest employment of women (76% compared to 72% across Austria) and offers the best earning opportunities. The average full-time gross annual income of women in Vienna is 50,117 euros and is therefore almost 3,000 euros above the Austrian average of 47,364 euros. The part -time quota for women in Vienna is 43% below the national average of 52%, which indicates more full -time employment. The gender Pay GAP is around 10% lower in Vienna than in the national average.
“The largest Viennese women’s survey ‘Vienna as she wants’ showed impressively: The Viennese is particularly important. Namely, those that make a real difference for their lives. Waff Frauenstiftung Another tailor-made future project for the Viennese.
Target group and support package
The program is aimed specifically at the AMS Vienna, which has been recognized from the age of 25 without completed vocational training, with special focus on returners after family-related professional interruption or care work. The comprehensive support package combines career orientation, free training worth an average of 7,000 euros per participant, continuation of unemployment benefit and an additional monthly training subsidy of 300 euros.
“With the nationwide unique Waff women’s foundation, we are investing in a program that is tailored to every single biography-a form of the” precision medicine “that aims at the professional future of Viennese without completion. In addition to free training, we not only secure your income, but also promote your self-determination. So we bring more people into employment, which in turn has a positive effect on the business location. With the highest employment of women – and nowhere else in Austria, women earn more on average, ”emphasized financial councilor Barbara Novak. This is not a coincidence, but the result of targeted social democratic labor market policy and investments in training and further education.
Concrete investment in the economic future
The women’s foundation initially runs for a year with an extension option. The average length of stay is 18 months. For 2025, a total of 157.5 million euros are available for 43,040 Viennese to promote professional development opportunities, of which 25,078 women benefit.
With the women’s foundation, Vienna once again underlines the pioneering role in labor market policy. The project combines social responsibility with economic reason and shows an example of how modern cities can react to demographic and structural challenges. The initiative is a concrete component to achieve the UN sustainability goals and strengthens Vienna as an attractive location for companies that rely on qualified workers.