Autriche

Compulsory education in Austria starts at the age of 6 and lasts for 9 years; it encompasses primary education and one year pre -vocational school or upper secondary school. At the transition from primary school to lower secondary education, pupils have to choose between the lower secondary school and academic secondary school. At the transmission from lower to upper secondary education the following options are provided :

The apprentice in Austria is in a training relationship with a training enterprise (apprenticeship contract between apprentice and training company) and a student at a part-time vocational school at the same time. The enterprise-based part of dual vocational training makes up the major part of the apprenticeship period (~80%). The company based training provides job-specific knowledge and skills whereas the education at part-time vocational school (~20% of the apprenticeship period) more concentrates on the provision of basic subject-related theory and extension of general education. Apprenticeship training is particular strong in crafts and manual trades, commerce, industry and the tourism and leisure industry.