Linz (OTS) – While more and more young people looking for work are undergoing training, the number of open apprenticeships in Upper Austria is declining at an above-average rate. AK President Andreas Stangl therefore finds the euphemistic reports of joy about the apparent decline in youth unemployment completely incomprehensible. “The fact is that more and more young people are being hidden in training measures for the sake of unemployment statistics! The state government runs the risk of trivializing this worrying development. Politics should focus more on young people
“, said the AK President.
Statistics in Upper Austria record nominally fewer young people registered as unemployed. The number of young people in training rose by more than a quarter (+26.4 percent) to 4,035. This goes unmentioned in the jubilant reports about the apparent decline in youth unemployment. In addition, 579 young people are looking for an apprenticeship. This also means a strong increase of almost 18 percent. And that’s not all: At the same time, the number of open apprenticeship positions in Upper Austria fell by 12.2 percent, which is twice as high as the decline across Austria (5.9 percent). In total, 7,544 young people have not yet entered the labor market. This value therefore remains constantly high. “The current focus is on training measures for career orientation. That’s important, but it doesn’t guarantee a sustainable entry into the job market. But companies also have a responsibility to create the skilled workers of the future through training places
“, says AK President Andreas Stangl.
Concrete AK suggestions for effective labor market policy
In any case, active labor market policy looks different. „In order to successfully combat youth unemployment, comprehensive support services are needed, including for the many young people who are often very mentally unstable. In addition, effective labor market policy measures are now needed
“, says AK President Andreas Stangl. He once again refers to the AK training offensive to help young people successfully enter the world of work. In addition, he renews the AK’s demands to convert the obligation to train up to the age of 18 into a real training guarantee and to quickly increase the range of inter-company apprenticeship training places with livelihood security for young people. In addition, company funding for apprenticeships should be made more efficient in order to minimize deadweight effects, improve the quality of training and distribute funding more fairly. Especially because the AMS resources are far too scarce and there is a fear that money will soon be missing in other areas. Incentives to give young people with learning difficulties a perspective are also urgently needed.
Questions & Contact:
Chamber of Labor Upper Austria – Communication
Hans Promberger
+43 (0)50 6906 2161
his.promberger@akooe.at
ooe.arbeiterkammer.at