Bonuses, PS and co.

What companies are now using to attract new apprentices

KTM rewards the best apprenticeship graduates with a motorcycle, while Hofer offers vouchers and bonuses based on success.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Hofer, Pierer Mobility)

Demographic change is intensifying the battle for young people. Many companies are therefore adding something to their apprenticeships - from bonuses and vouchers to iPads and motorcycles. Read on to find out what is on offer and why not all companies are going down this route.

Moving buckets with a mini excavator, decorating gingerbread a few meters away, mixing cocktails at the next exhibitor - at the recent Youth & Career Fair in Wels, training companies and educational institutions vied for the attention of young people who are faced with the decision of which educational path they want to pursue.

Highlight: Arnold Schwarzenegger with the apprentices from BMW Steyr.(Bild: Markus Wenzel)

Due to demographic change, the competition for young talent is becoming ever greater, especially as the matching has to be right. And that's not so easy, as the latest figures from the employment service underline: In September, there were more than 1940 unfilled apprenticeship positions in Upper Austria, although there were also 917 boys and girls who wanted to start vocational training.

The battle for first impressions: At the Jugend&Beruf fair in Wels at the beginning of October, training companies and educational institutions showed their best side and tried to attract young people with lots of entertainment.(Bild: Markus Wenzel)

More and more companies are therefore adding something to traditional training. Spar, for example, offers apprentices bonuses worth over 6700 euros for excellent performance. The best apprentices also receive an iPad after their first year.

Every year, we give between 4000 and 5000 children and young people an insight into the world of technology and industry.

Andreas Fill, Eigentümer Fill Anlagenbau

Bild: Markus Wenzel

Salary alone is no longer enough
Motorcycle manufacturer KTM rewards those who complete their apprenticeship with very good or good results with a motorcycle. BMW Steyr offers a bonus and 1500 euros towards a driving license. Discount retailer Hofer pays well above the collective wage agreement for the first three years of apprenticeship, pays a bonus for positive apprenticeship results and, depending on success, gives out travel or merchandise vouchers. At the same time, the company, which is based in Sattledt, emphasizes: An attractive salary alone is no longer enough to attract potential applicants. Flexibility, work-life balance and the employer's contribution to environmental protection are important to them.

Driving licenses and free tablets are a thing of the past. Young people and their parents don't think that short-sightedly.

Thomas Saliger, Sprecher XXXLutz

Thomas Saliger, spokesman for the furniture retail giant XXXLutz from Wels, takes a similar line: "We've moved on from campaigns like driving licenses and free tablets. What counts for young people and parents is a sustainable, secure job with solid training in a large, successful company."

"We show that industry can be very different"
Plant manufacturer Fill focuses on the career guidance factor. Every year, between 4,000 and 5,000 children and young people gain an insight at the company in Gurten. "We show that industry can be very different from how it is often portrayed," says boss Andreas Fill. The demand for apprenticeships is high, he emphasizes.

Despite this, many training companies are no longer able to find enough new recruits. "That's why we believe that competition for apprentices is not beneficial. What is needed instead are joint initiatives to change the status of apprenticeship training in society," says Sarah Metter, Head of the Training Center at plastics processor Greiner.