Vorarlberg firms hold back on hiring apprentices

Companies in Vorarlberg are becoming more cautious about hiring apprentices as economic conditions remain difficult, ORF reported. Many young people in the Austrian region are due to begin apprenticeships in two weeks, but both employer demand and the pool of applicants are weaker than before.

The Vorarlberg Economic Chamber said enough young people were applying for apprenticeship positions only in the trade and craft sectors.

Decline not explained by demographics alone

The chamber said the decline in apprenticeship numbers could not be explained solely by demographic change. Gudrun Petz-Bechter, the chamber’s deputy director, said companies had reported a noticeably different situation among applicants, including lower motivation and interest in apprenticeships.

Businesses also reported declines in the performance, commitment and resilience of many young people. A lack of readiness for training was another concern, with weaknesses in basic knowledge, particularly in German, mathematics and STEM subjects, making it harder to start an apprenticeship successfully.

Apprenticeship numbers continue to fall

Vorarlberg had around 6,300 apprentices at the start of this year. Numbers have fallen every year since 2020. Between 2024 and 2025, the number dropped by 205.

In 2025, 39.87 percent of 15-year-olds in Vorarlberg chose an apprenticeship, compared with 44.53 percent in 2024, according to the Economic Chamber.

The most common occupations among male apprentices were metal technician, with 796 apprentices, electrical technician, with 543, and motor vehicle technician, with 339. Among female apprentices, retail sales clerk was the most common occupation, with 309, followed by office clerk, with 150, and metalworking, with 110.

Chamber calls for changes to funding

In June, the Vorarlberg Economic Chamber called for apprenticeship funding to be adjusted. It said the support now covered only about one tenth of companies’ actual training costs. For 2026, the chamber expects a funding shortfall of around 74 million euros.

According to the chamber, about two thirds of training companies in Austria train only one or two apprentices. These businesses would be particularly affected by insufficient funding.