Every day, economists and business experts rightly complain about the ever-growing problem of the shortage of skilled labour. Industry alone is currently looking for 60,000 skilled workers in a wide variety of fields.

"But instead of investing in the Austrian universities of applied sciences, as the Austrian University of Applied Sciences Conference has been calling for months, the universities of applied sciences have to turn away thousands of young people every year due to insufficient study places," says Raimund Ribitsch, President of the Austrian University of Applied Sciences Conference (FHK).

Ribitsch emphasises the forecast by IHS head Kocher, according to which Austria is on the verge of slipping into a chronic shortage of skilled workers as early as 2022/23. For this reason, investments in a massive expansion of the UAS sector must be made immediately. Any further hesitation would mean lost years, i.e. years without new graduates for the domestic economy. "It is only legitimate to look abroad for additional labour once the potential at home has been tapped," says Ribitsch.

From the point of view of the FHK and the economy, in order to be fit for the future, a massive investment in the funding rates, which have not been increased for years, and in the quantitative expansion of study places is required immediately. In this context, the FHK makes it clear that the 330 new study places currently planned per year (this corresponds to 16 new study places per university of applied sciences per year!!) are certainly not enough to prevent a chronic shortage of skilled labour!

"Austria must invest in its own future, i.e. in its own young people, today. If the federal government fails to do so, not only will the economy lack the urgently needed highly qualified labour force, but thousands of young people willing to study will also be prevented from getting the chance to make themselves fit for the future by studying!" says Ribitsch. Nowhere is it easier to understand how much funding is needed to produce a corresponding number of graduates than in the university of applied sciences sector, Ribitsch concludes, pointing out one of the strengths of the most effective and transparent higher education sector in Austria.

Enquiry note:
Kurt Koleznik
FHK Secretary General
Tel.: 0664/4244294