"Hidden reserves"

Mothers, older people, part-time workers in the sights of the AMS

Sabine Platzer-Werlberger, head of Tyrol's AMS, uses the profession of chef to explain the discrepancies in tourism.

(Bild: AMS/Christian Forcher, Wolfilser – stock.adobe.com, Krone Kreativ)

More unemployed, but also a shortage of skilled workers! Where Tyrolean AMS boss Sabine Platzer-Werlberger sees the solution and which job seekers are hard to place.

"Krone": Unemployment figures are rising again - in Austria in general, and particularly sharply in Tyrol. What do you expect in the coming months?
Sabine Platzer-Werlberger: A further rise in unemployment is possible. Economic stagnation and high inflation are two reasons for this. Trade, industry and the construction sector are particularly affected, but also the transport, accommodation and catering sectors.

Which people are finding it particularly difficult?
Low-skilled workers, especially if they are immigrants. But young people are also becoming unemployed more frequently again and women between the ages of 60 and 64. The latter because of the ongoing increase in the retirement age. There is also a great need for action with the long-term unemployed, often people with health restrictions. Initiatives for reintegration into the labor market are urgently needed. For example, AMS Tirol is helping young refugees with a positive asylum decision to start a job with its new youth college.

There is a high turnover of staff in the retail sector.

(Bild: contrastwerkstatt - stock.adobe.)

Despite the high season, more people are unemployed in tourism too. How can this be when the industry is desperately looking for skilled workers?
This is due to the discrepancy between the qualifications of the unemployed and the requirements of the companies. For every ten vacancies for restaurant chefs, there are only five jobseekers who were last employed in this profession. The situation is not expected to ease for the time being. In addition, the sector has recently recorded a decline in overnight stays.

For every ten vacancies for restaurant chefs, there are only five jobseekers who were last employed in this profession.

Sabine Platzer-Werlberger

The retail sector is weakening. This can be seen in the AMS figures and in the discussion about job cuts at the Tyrolean retail giant MPreis. Do you expect a bloodletting?
The retail sector has been under pressure since the fall, mainly due to the reluctance to buy as a result of high inflation. However, AMS Tirol does not expect a permanent bloodletting, but restructuring and changes, also due to the change in purchasing behavior - keyword online shopping. With over 1,650 vacancies registered with AMS Tirol and 460 apprenticeship vacancies, the current need for staff in the retail sector is somewhat lower than in the two previous years, but there is still considerable demand, partly due to the high fluctuation in this sector.

The application for short-time working for around 900 employees at Liebherr in East Tyrol was rejected. Do you now expect many redundancies there?
The early warning system has not yet been triggered. The fact is that there is a huge shortage of skilled workers in East Tyrol.

Trade unions and business representatives are once again calling for more opportunities for short-time working. Does it make sense?
Short-time work only makes sense in the event of temporary economic difficulties. It is a crisis instrument and not a solution for companies' long-term economic problems.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com)

What can be done about the shortage of skilled workers?
This is currently one of the biggest challenges. We are focusing on rapid placement, training and mobilizing the hidden reserve, in particular women with care responsibilities, older people or people with health restrictions who are not in employment but would like to work. Or part-time employees who would like to top up. In addition, the focus is on supra-regional placement and qualification of skilled workers via foundations, such as those in the areas of childcare, care or for "green jobs".

The number of apprenticeship seekers is rising. Is apprenticeship on the rise again?
An important indicator of the attractiveness of apprenticeship training is the proportion of 15-year-olds in their first year of apprenticeship compared to the age group as a whole. This proportion has risen back to pre-coronavirus levels across Austria and stood at 43.4% in Tyrol in 2022, which is above the national average of 40.7%. The constant number of apprentices of between 10,000 and 11,000 also shows that apprenticeships remain attractive, at least in Tyrol.