Support for companies taking on apprentices for the first time

The funding initiative supports Viennese training companies that are taking on apprentices in Vienna for the first time or again after a break of at least five years. The aim of the measure is to sustainably secure the company’s skilled workforce by covering 100% of the collectively agreed gross apprentice salary for the first year of apprenticeship. In addition, a flat-rate compensation of 20% for ancillary wage costs is granted. This is intended to motivate small and medium-sized enterprises to meet their personnel needs in the long term through apprenticeship training. The maximum project duration is twelve months, with funding granted taking into account the federal base funding.

Eligible for funding are Viennese training companies according to § 2 BAG with a registered office or establishment in Vienna, which are training apprentices for the first time or have not trained apprentices for at least five years. A prerequisite is the acceptance of apprentices residing in Vienna; the application must be submitted no later than three months after the probationary period of the apprentice has expired. Eligible expenses include the gross apprentice salary and the flat-rate ancillary wage costs. For the application, the completed application form with declaration of commitment, a copy of the assessment notice, and the payslips for the first three months of the apprenticeship are required. The application can be submitted to the Vienna Employees’ Promotion Fund (waff) from January 1, 2025, until December 31, 2026, at the latest; payments are made quarterly in arrears upon proof of payslips.