Questions/Answers

The world has experienced large migration and refugee movements in the past years. Having reached safe countries, solutions need to be found to successfully integrate the new arrivals, in terms of linguistic, cultural and professional integration. At the same time, demographic developments cause a shortage of apprentices and skilled workers in many European countries. In 2015, “Talents for Austria” was founded by the city of Trofaiach and the company Talent Development: a boarding school for 30 unaccompanied minor asylum seekers (UMA) which provides primary care, education (language, culture/values), job training, job placement and ongoing support. The focus areas of this unique project are linguistic competences (German), basic education (Mathematics, English, Social Studies, Science), knowledge of customs and culture (values), specialist job training (for tourism, construction, local and regional SMEs) and job placement. The youths complete the programme with internationally renowned German certificates of the Austrian Language Diploma (OESD, level A2 or B1). One colleague (“job integration coach”) provides support for UMA and (future) employers during all steps of the recruitment process and beyond the start of work, should any questions or uncertainties arise. Since the boarding schools provide housing, education, job training and placement under one roof, the UMA learn Austrian values in all settings (accommodation, school, workplace). They are fully integrated (language, values/culture, work), which allows them to become valuable members of our society. The specialist job training they receive significantly increases their chances of starting an apprenticeship and entering the job market. As apprentices, the UMA contribute to the Austrian social system. Thus, we provide a perspective for a self-determined and independent life in Austria. At the same time, Austrian companies can respond to the shortage of skilled workers and fill vacant apprenticeships.

The overall objective of the initiative is the successful integration of UMA in the Austrian society and labour market. The chances of them entering an apprenticeship and thus the labour market are significantly increased by the specialist job training and job integration support they receive. As apprentices, the youths contribute to the Austrian social security system and thus become valuable and contributing members of Austrian society. At the same time, Austrian companies can fill vacant apprenticeship positions, successfully countering the shortage of skilled workers. In times of extreme polarization of this topic, from demands for deportation of all migrants on the one hand to welcoming everybody with open arms on the other hand, this approach finds the right balance due to the logic behind it. It raises awareness and increases acceptance among the local population, inviting them to live a life of appreciation, social justice and human rights. At the same time, it shapes a society, where everybody living in Austria feels recognized and represented. With the public becoming more and more open to seeing refugees and migrants as a missing link to combat our threatening demographic developments, a Win-Win situation for all involved parties is created.

Studies show that the lack of language skills, knowledge of Austrian values/rules and targeted job preparation are the top three reasons why employers don’t hire migrants. “Talents for Austria” provides just this, to reduce these obstacles and achieve employment for further economic growth, for the very vulnerable group of unaccompanied minor asylum seekers. The innovative idea behind “Talents for Austria” is to comprise all steps of the integration process under one roof: 1. boarding school (7 days a week) 2. German & basic education (5 days a week, 4 lessons per day) 3. specific job training (for apprenticeship in shortage occupations) 4. job placement (with a team member supporting employer and future employee throughout the entire recruitment process) 5. ongoing support (for employer and employee beyond the first day of work) The project is also characterised by the close partnership with the province of Styria, the city of Trofaiach (and municipalities of other school locations) as well as companies and entire industry sectors seeking apprentices. This unique approach guarantees that nobody is lost between the different steps of the process, thus significantly increasing the success rate.

The “Talents for Austria” approach guarantees that many more asylum seekers and refugees are sustainably placed in the job market as apprentices. Usually, only 50% of persons entitled to asylum have found a job after 5 years, with a reported dropout rate of 40% for this target group. Graduates of the “Talents for Austria” schools are job-ready after 1-1.5 years and only 5% break off their apprenticeship. Through the close cooperation and coordination with the province of Styria and the cities/municipalities where the now three “Talents for Austria” schools are located, the approach reduces inequalities and provides quality education and job training for the very vulnerable group of unaccompanied minors with no official asylum status yet, thus achieving employment and further economic growth.

Usually, in the integration process the Federal State focuses on psychosocial care for refugees and asylum seekers. “Talents for Austria” changed this focus and objective towards the ability to work: Work preparatory measures, job placement and further support have been added to the psychosocial care. Thanks to the close cooperation between the public entities and the operating company, friction losses between the different steps can be reduced to a minimum.

Usually, only 50% of persons entitled to asylum have found a job after 5 years. At the same time, demographic changes, seen in declining birth rates, led to a shortage of apprentices and skilled workers in many regions and sectors in Austria. Since “Talents for Austria” boarding schools provide accommodation, education (language, culture/ values), job training, job placement and ongoing support under one roof, the process of integration of UMA into the labour market takes 1-1.5 years. Over the last year alone, the project has placed 20 UMAs in an apprenticeship. For the UMAs, having a job means being integrated and having a perspective for an independent, self-determined life, while the Federal States receives their contributions to the Austrian social system. At the same time, companies can fill their vacant apprenticeship positions, counter the shortage of skilled workers and increase their services and offers. Thus, a win-win-win situation for three groups (UMAs, Federal State, companies) is created through “Talents for Austria”.

The innovative idea behind “Talents for Austria” is the focus on job placement and, to this end, the combination of all steps of the integration process under one roof: 1. boarding school (7 days a week) 2. German & basic education (5 days a week, 4 lessons per day) 3. specific job training (for apprenticeship in shortage occupations) 4. job placement (with a team member supporting employer and future employee throughout the entire recruitment process) 5. ongoing support (for employer and employee beyond the first day of work) The project is led and shaped by the close cooperation between the company operating the schools and the involved public entities as well as the multiprofessional and intercultural team working on it. The entire process is ISO 9001 certified and the education and training services are ISO 29990 certified. “Talents for Austria” is also a certified language school per OESD (Austrian Language Diploma in German) and OEIF (Austrian Integration Funds). Besides German & basic education, the schools also offer the compulsory schooling qualification (“Pflichtschulabschluss”). For the job placement, the schools cooperate with individual local and regional businesses, but also with large enterprises (e.g. of the steel industry) and entire industry sectors (gastronomy).

The approach of “Talents for Austria” to combine all steps of the integration process under one roof, where usually at least three different players are involved, is unique in Austria and in Europe. The project has been distinguished as European Best Practice Model not only for its socio-economic aspect (Top Ten of the 2017 Social Impact Lab of Big Four consultancy & accounting firm Price Waterhouse Coopers), but also as one of the most innovative and efficient performers of the European public sector (Best Practice Certificate Recipient and Final Four of the 2017 European Public Sector Award Finale).

Three “Talent for Austria” schools currently employ 45 staff members. In terms of budgetary resources, the project (example of first school in Trofaiach/Styria) is funded as follows: primary care for the UMA is financed by the Austrian government and department 11 of the provincial government of Styria. Within the provincial government of Styria, department 6 finances the school classes. The specialist job training for the UMA is supported through an EU LEADER project. Primary care (“Grundversorgung”) for 30 UMA x 365 days (Fed. Province Styria, Dept. 11): € 746.150,44 2 classes for German & Basic education (Fed. Province Styria, Dept. 6, within education strategy “Future.Education.Styria”): € 127.241,33 LEADER project funding for the job integration coach in charge of the job placement and ongoing support: € 53.333,33 (all net figures, for one year)

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To another municipality within the same region: second boarding school (45 UMA) opened in May 2015 in Niklasdorf, in cooperation with the construction industry. To another region: third boarding school (45 UMA) opened in November 2017 in Lower Austria, per the request of the provincial government (funded by the public sector). To another target group: a school for persons with granted asylum, in an urban space opened in February 2018 (new funding bodies: economic and social ministries, province of Styria, Labour Market Service, city of Graz). To an international context: a process for the development of a relocation programme for skilled workers has been created. In cooperation with vocational schools in countries with high youth unemployment rates, candidates from there will be selected, further trained and prepared (up to 1 year) for a job in the German-speaking labour market, receiving ongoing support within a community in the new home. The model has also inspired the overall education strategy for migrants of the province of Styria. Minimum 20 Austrian institutions and international delegations (Croatia, Jordan) have visited a “Talents for Austria” school and transferred aspects of the model (in varying degrees) to their area of work. Representatives were invited to (inter)national expert conferences (Serbia).

All parts of the project’s operating process are financed through contracts with the government or companies. The UMA finish the programme with a high educational level verified by official certificates (both for language and the specialist job training). An apprenticeship contract guarantees a job position for 3 years. As part of the educational strategy “Zukunft.Bildung.Steiermark” (Future.Education.Styria) of the Styrian government, the project is part of regular relevant steering committees and professional development groups. Further regular feedback processes are in place with the District Commission (Bezirkshauptmannschaft), who holds parental custody over the UMA, and with steering committees with different regional enterprises for a continuous enhancement and development of the specialist job training process. Certifications per ISO 9001 and 29990 guarantee continuous evaluations, management reviews and development processes, as well as corrective measures. Compared to similar institutions, ten times more students are placed in apprenticeships by “Talents for Austria”. Compared to the usual drop-out rate of 40% in the target group, only 5% of “Talents for Austria” break off their apprenticeship. In the past year alone, 20 persons were placed in an apprenticeship. The apprentices contribute to the economy and the social system, instead of receiving social benefits.

Once working, the apprentices have found their place in society. They have their own flat, their community and are rooted locally and stay in the region.

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Annual re-audit for ISO 9001 certification. Evaluation of the province of Styria, as provider of basic education for asylum seekers, twice a year. Evaluation as partner of a research study on Labour Market Integration of Refugees in Austria, by the institute of personnel politics of the University of Graz. Evaluation on a European level as chosen finalist of the European Public Sector Award (EPSA) 2017, by the following process: Step 1: Individual online evaluation of submission by impartial evaluators (15 experts from academia, the public and the private sector coming from 9 countries). Step 2: Consensus meeting of all evaluators for discussion, review, listing of 10 Best Practice Certificate Recipients and selection of 4 short-listed projects in each of the 3 submission categories for onsite visits. Step 3: Validation and verification during onsite visit. Step 4: final Jury meeting where several jurors (high-ranking stakeholders and/or political personalities, separate from the evaluators) decided on the nominees and the award winners in each category based on the short-listed projects of the onsite visits.

Annual re-audit for ISO 9001 certification: Passed. Evaluation of the province of Styria, as provider of basic education for asylum seekers, twice a year: one of the best results of all evaluated institutions, in terms of the competence assessment and in terms of the numbers of language certification exams carried out. Evaluation as partner of a research study on Labour Market Integration of Refugees in Austria, by the institute of personnel politics of the University of Graz: Ongoing Evaluation on a European level within the process of reaching the finale of the European Public Sector Award (EPSA) 2017: Best Practice Certificate Recipient and Finalist (one of the final four projects of 70 submissions from 18 countries in the supra-local/local category, within a total of 150 submissions from 30 countries across all three categories).

ISO 9001: Process quality. Province of Styria: Quality, Number of language exams taken (over 200 to date). Research Study: How do refugees find work in Austria? What kind of work do they find? How integrated are they in their companies? What support did they receive? European Public Sector Award (EPSA) 2017: 7 evaluation criteria 1. Innovation 2. Stakeholder involvement 3. Relevance of actions taken 4. Impact/results 5. Sustainability 6. Transferability and learning capacity 7. Social inclusion

Stakeholder involvement is a strategic part of the project’s success, since the support of policy makers, committed public officials and public employees, and of the city/municipality housing the schools allows this project to be successful. A strong cooperation through regular meetings with the province of Styria and the mayors as well as consideration of the citizen’s interests are key. The public is always informed about all project stages by means of a transparent planning process and town meetings. An open house policy is in place, so the public is encouraged to visit and get to know the project. A state of the art web presence (website, social media, newsletter) further ensures a continuous, up to date presentation to the public and different stakeholders. As part of the educational strategy “Zukunft.Bildung.Steiermark” of the Styrian provincial government, regular participation in the relevant steering committees and professional development groups is guaranteed, to update and enhance the curriculum. Regular contact is also in place with the District Commission (Bezirkshauptmannschaft), who holds parental custody over the UMAs; the Austrian Integration Fund and operators of other housing projects for UMA. Steering committees with different enterprises and representatives of the Economic Chamber of Styria and professional associations have been formed, for continuous enhancement of the training process. Companies who support the project and hire the UMA after completion of the programme are supported by a “job integration coach” throughout the entire recruitment process. On a local level, a strong network with other associations and social initiatives who are active in the support of immigrants and refugees is in place. Also, the local community (individual persons, families or associations) is actively encouraged to act as “mentors” for the UMA, for the latter to be able to spend time with locals and further immerse themselves in the Austrian culture.

- Cooperation with public entities is key. - 2.5 hours of classes per day (as practised in the very beginning) is not enough, has been changed to 5 hours, which is ideal. - A structured daily routine is crucial, since it gives security and favours trauma processing. - The project supports the UMA, but also demands performance on their side. - Apprenticeship positions are more easily obtained following a specialist job training. - To successfully place the UMA in apprenticeship positions, one employee who identifies and contacts the potential employers and accompanies both parties during the recruiting process (“job integration coach”) is key, for organizational support and any questions or uncertainties that may arise from both sides. - Continuous communication with the public on various levels is needed to overcome stereotypes. - It is useful to support the companies with an intercultural training, before they hire an apprentice from a foreign culture. - It is important to place the youths in an apprenticeship only when they are job-ready (in terms of knowledge of the German language, social competence, professional skills), and not right away when they want to work, or the companies push for it, because they need an apprentice.