“Master craftsmanship is indispensable for Austria as a business location – and a craft is just as important as a degree. The positive development in master craftsmanship and qualification examinations is a very positive signal, especially in difficult economic times,” says Renate Scheichelbauer-Schuster, chairwoman of the federal trade and craft division in the WKÖ.
The figures just communicated by the Federal Ministry of Labor and Economic Affairs (BMAW) prove that top professional qualifications are in demand like rarely before. From October 2023 to September 2024, 5,230 people successfully passed master craftsmanship or qualification examinations. This is an increase in overall certificates of six percent compared to the comparable period and the highest value since 2016 (with the exception of the Corona catch-up effects in 2021).
“Especially in the past year, we were able to implement numerous long-standing concerns that make it even more attractive to take a master craftsmanship or qualification exam. This is reflected positively in the numbers and is also an exclamation mark in the fight against the shortage of skilled workers,” emphasizes Scheichelbauer-Schuster. The measures that further enhance dual training include, for example, the assumption of the costs of taking examinations, the master’s degree that can be entered into documents for numerous other trades or the legal basis for higher vocational education, which represents a milestone for further top professional qualifications in Austria.
And: 2024 was the first full year of activity for the Meister Alumni Club (MAC). The MAC was founded in October 2023 as an initiative of the Austrian Chambers of Commerce and already has more than 2,700 members from all nine federal states. MAC members are between 20 and 92 years old and come from 102 different professions. The areas of electrical engineering, automotive technology, hairdressers and wigmakers, carpentry and chimney sweeps are particularly frequently represented.
“We are very pleased with this high level of popularity! The Meister Alumni Club has closed a gap – as a platform for networking, for exchanging experiences and by improving the visibility of qualified entrepreneurship in the public,” says Scheichelbauer-Schuster, who is also MAC President: “The MAC stands for the community of our passion , our values and our craft. It strengthens the identity, cohesion and self-confidence of all members across sectors and generations.”
In the first year, the MAC was not only represented at all championship celebrations, but also organized its own events and webinars on topics such as business transfer, digitalization, further training, error culture and cybersecurity. MAC members also benefit from tailor-made services and discounted offers. All graduates who have passed a master’s or qualification examination according to the Austrian trade regulations can become a member free of charge: www.meisteralumni.at. (PWK488/HSP)
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