Marty Walsh, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor, visited Austria to learn about best practices in apprenticeship training. In response, the United States Embassy in Vienna said the U.S. looks forward to learning from Austria’s experience to pave the way for more training opportunities for its workforce.
“Expanding registered apprenticeships is critical to creating quality jobs in new and emerging industries. The signing of the U.S.-Austria Memorandum of Understanding last April to expand apprenticeship programs in both countries supports our commitment to creating equitable pathways to the middle class,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor.
Last week, @USDOL @SecMartyWalsh visited Austria to learn more about #apprenticeship best practices with a variety of government and industry leaders.
Read more about his visit https://t.co/4UroMH32Fj— U.S. Embassy Vienna (@usembvienna) January 23, 2023
Some highlights of Secretary Walsh’s two-day visit included a tour of Schönbrunn Palace as well as several company visits. Also important were a meeting with ÖGB President Wolfgang Katzian and Chamber of Labor President Renate Anderl and a roundtable at the Federation of Austrian Industries with industry leaders.
I had the pleasure to join @USDOL @SecMartyWalsh for a tour through the magnificent @schonbrunn palace. pic.twitter.com/Z2dGcv2xVd
— Ambassador Victoria Kennedy (@USAmbAustria) January 20, 2023
“Ich bin unseren Partnern in Österreich dankbar für den Austausch von Erfahrungen und Erkenntnissen, die wir in die Vereinigten Staaten mitnehmen werden.”
– @USDOL @SecMartyWalsh besuchte @iv_industrie zu einem Austausch mit Industriebetrieben über die Lehrlingsausbildung pic.twitter.com/6byMdEiEYW— U.S. Embassy Vienna (@usembvienna) January 20, 2023
Highly constructive meeting between @Arbeiterkammer President @renate_anderl, @oegb_at President @katzianw, @USDOL @SecMartyWalsh, @USAmbAustria.
The U.S. is excited to learn from Austria’s experience to pave the way for more apprenticeship opportunities for its workers. pic.twitter.com/TwCH45DYyo
— U.S. Embassy Vienna (@usembvienna) January 20, 2023
Walsh also came with the aim of more closely examining companies that train apprentices and visited the training center of voestalpine meeting with apprentices and management. There were also exchanges with management and visits to some tractors at CNH Industrial.
Gaining first-hand insights in the Austrian dual education system at @voestalpine, together with @SecMartyWalsh. A big thank you to the voestalpine management for hosting us and their continued commitment to the U.S. market. pic.twitter.com/ufuQjH31ta
— Ambassador Victoria Kennedy (@USAmbAustria) January 19, 2023
Unlike Austria, there is no nationwide, standardized apprenticeship program for young people in the United States. However, voestalpine uses various models for the in-house training of skilled workers at some of its U.S. locations. These are based on the basic idea of Austrian and German apprenticeships and teach theoretical knowledge, often in cooperation with local schools, on the one hand, and practical skills on the other.
“Expanding dual apprenticeships is critical to creating quality jobs in new and emerging industries,” says U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “By signing the April 2022 Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. and Austria to expand apprenticeship programs in both countries, we aim to improve career advancement opportunities for young people.”
In Austria, apprenticeship training is referred to as the “dual system”: the training company, where apprentices spend 80% of their time, and the vocational school where apprentices can spend 20% of their time.
Thank you @voestalpine for a glimpse of how this system works. pic.twitter.com/VX2eF2OBVz
— Secretary Marty Walsh (@SecMartyWalsh) January 19, 2023
The U.S.-Austria Memorandum of Understanding on Apprenticeship was finalized on April 13, 2022, and provides for deeper cooperation in the area of apprenticeship training. The U.S. plans to invest more than $3.5 billion in this program (National Apprenticeship Act 2021) over the next five years.
Finally, there was a visit to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime to discuss the efforts of the U.S. Department of Labor and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to end human trafficking.
Article source: https://www.vindobona.org/article/united-states-secretary-of-labor-marty-walsh-visits-austria
