The ongoing Corona crisis is an enormous challenge for many Austrians across all social and age groups. The Rabmer Group, which specialises in environmental technology and construction engineering, is maintaining its focus on training in these difficult times. While the number of domestic apprenticeships is declining, even more young people started an apprenticeship with Rabmer in 2020 than in the year before. In addition, three apprentices completed their training with distinction.
(Altenberg, 14 January 2021.) The past year was not an easy one for Austrian young people. The effects of the pandemic on the training sector are particularly evident in the number of apprenticeship starters. According to the Chamber of Commerce, there were 31,989 in 2020, 5.6 per cent fewer than in 2019, despite the apprenticeship bonus and the rush to inter-company apprenticeship training.[1]
But apprenticeships were not cut everywhere. For example, the Rabmer Group, based in Altenberg near Linz, took on more apprentices than before the crisis – an important step into the future, on the one hand for the young people and on the other hand for the company itself. “Well-trained employees are the basis for the company’s success. Apprenticeship training therefore has a very high priority for us,” explains Managing Director Ulrike Rabmer-Koller. “With apprenticeship training, we ensure our own next generation of skilled workers and offer young people from the surrounding area a varied and secure job. Career with apprenticeship is not just a slogan at Rabmer – we live it every day. Many of our managers started with an apprenticeship in the company and then continued to develop their skills. That’s why we also focus on continuous training and personal development.”
Future-oriented training during the crisis
“We make great efforts to train our young employees in the best possible way and to promote them in such a way that they stay with the company even after they have successfully completed their training,” Ulrike Rabmer-Koller continues. “Accompanying and integrating young people into the Rabmer team is particularly important to us. In addition to trainers, the apprentices also have mentors at their side – these are usually skilled workers who have just completed their apprenticeship. The apprentices can ask them for advice at eye level.”
In addition, the young people are motivated with goodies for good grades in their report cards. Vouchers, smartphones or payment for a driving licence course are given for excellent results. Three such excellent apprenticeship graduations were celebrated in the company in 2020. Ulrike Rabmer-Koller was pleased and congratulated Michael Schwabegger (carpentry apprenticeship), Jakob Raber (construction & agricultural machinery technician) and Lukas Grasböck (bricklayer) together with Division Manager Building Construction Alfred Luxner and Managing Director RR Holzbau Gottfried Riener for this outstanding leadership.
[1] Companies took on fewer apprentices in 2020 (apa.at)
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