Apprenticeship or school

Report card day as a decision for the future

Primary school pupils can still take their time with their decision.(Bild: Uta Rojsek-Wiedergut)

Report card day marks the start of a well-deserved vacation for Carinthia's pupils. Of the 68,000 or so pupils, over 34,000 are faced with what is probably the most important question of their lives: Apprenticeship or continue cramming at school? The "Krone" spoke to some of the young people about their future.

When the 68,000 pupils in Carinthia hold their school reports in their hands today, nine weeks of relaxation, fun and free time will begin - for the 4700 teachers too. For 34,000 pupils, however, it could be their last vacation, as their compulsory schooling ends on report day and they are faced with a choice: an apprenticeship or attending a secondary school. The "Krone" therefore asked young Carinthians what their future educational path will look like:

Many apprenticeships in Carinthia
"Learning was never my thing. That's why I'm going to do an apprenticeship," say several pupils. And they also have a wide choice: "There are 175 different apprenticeships on offer in Carinthia. Austria-wide, there are as many as 213," explains Pierina Pizzato from the Carinthian Employment Service. And the selection ranges from office apprenticeships and cosmetics to skilled trades and technology.

Viele Möglichkeiten

„Krone“-Umfrage:

"For me, the ÖFB Women's Academy in St. Pölten is the only school in Austria that supports girls in soccer and I want to become a professional footballer."

Ausbildung für Profisportler

"We weren't sure which school we wanted to go to and as the AHS prepares us very well for independence, we decided on the BRG in Villach."

Weg zur Selbstständigkeit

"We chose AHS Feldkirchen because we want to study after our A-levels and because this school is not far from where we live."

Matura für das Studium

"As I want to become an elementary school teacher, it wasn't a difficult decision for me. I'm going to attend the College for Elementary Education in Klagenfurt."

Weiterführende Schule

The trend is towards cramming
Despite the wide choice, the majority of the 34,000 compulsory school leavers are probably still drawn to school. This is because many of them are aiming for the Matura. "The best way for me to do that is at a grammar school," says one student from Klagenfurt. For others, however, attending a vocational secondary school is definitely an option. "As I want to become an elementary school teacher, it wasn't a difficult decision for me. I'm going to attend the college for elementary education."

While the young people are thinking about their professional future, the focus for the 5700 Tafel class pupils is rather on presenting their first certificate to their families.