In February last year, a Council of Ministers lecture on HBB was presented, and a legislative decision was announced for the end of 2022.
In essence, it is about anchoring an equivalent alternative to university-academic education in Austria, says Mariana Kühnel, Deputy WKO Secretary-General. “Currently, professional degrees such as master craftsman, qualified or engineer are not perceived as equivalent.” In addition, there are no master craftsman or qualification examinations in many departments. The ball must “start rolling now” so that the HBB can start in 2024, according to Kühnel. It is the “right measure” to take account of the need for skilled workers and qualifications. A role model is the creation of the technical colleges 30 years ago: the initial five courses have now grown to around 500.
The HBB builds on initial professional training or several years of professional experience, the qualifications are geared to the needs of the company – for example branch or regional management.
