Tirol expects 1,600 new apprentices in September

About 1,600 young people will begin apprenticeships in Tyrol in September, according to the Tyrol Chamber of Commerce, ORF reported. The chamber said the figures point to a recovery in apprenticeship training, with tourism and skilled trades currently attracting particular interest.

David Narr, the chamber’s apprenticeship representative, said the situation appeared to be improving. He said dual vocational training was again gaining acceptance and recognition among the public.

“Things such as artificial intelligence are naturally fuelling this, because skilled workers who build and repair things with their hands every day cannot be replaced so easily,” Narr said. “That provides a positive boost.”

A recent youth study found that 40 percent of young people in Tyrol see an apprenticeship as the best option for their future, compared with 12 percent nationwide.

Calls for better conditions

Narr said there was still room for improvement and that more needed to be done to encourage people to choose dual vocational training on a broader scale. Factors included political conditions and the quality of training at companies in Tyrol.

He said the quality of training was available but needed to be made more visible to the public.

Tourism recorded an 8.2 percent increase in the number of apprentices starting training, according to Narr. Smaller sectors, including banking and insurance as well as transport and logistics, also reported slight increases.

Training to become a carpenter or an electrical technician is currently particularly popular.

2,900 companies offer apprenticeships

Although apprenticeships can generally begin throughout the year, most young people start in September. About 1,600 people are expected to begin training in Tyrol this year.

Narr said it was particularly encouraging that about 2,900 companies in Tyrol offered at least one apprenticeship position. However, many positions remained vacant because suitable applicants could not be found. Companies also expected apprentices to have certain key skills, he said.

First apprentice in eight years

Norz, a sheet-metal company in Thaur, struggled for years to find an apprentice. In September, a young person will begin training there for the first time in eight years.

Managing director Konrad Norz attributed the long gap to a lack of interest among young people. The company had advertised intensively online, on social media and in newspapers.

“It was a catastrophe finding someone,” Norz said. “But we are now absolutely delighted.”