Second Survey School and WOW.pdf

WORKING GROUP: PRINCIPLES AND CRITERIA
II.2. Topics
II.2.1. General Topics
II.2.1.1
Characteristics and particular problems of the guidance and
counselling system
Austria
The specific characteristics and particular problems of the guidance and counselling system in
school and transition depend on the structure of the Austrian school system, especially,
The early tracking after fourth grade, separating young people in two tracks of following
schooling lines – “gymnasium” and “Hauptschule”.
In principle for the first years of this school lines have the same subjects and curricular, but
different aim: The “gymnasium” has the approach, to offer young people general
education in depth and prepare them for access to university, this school type gymnasium
is concepted as an eight year school.
So called “Hauptschule” has the same subjects and curriculum (“word identity”) only without
the offer of Latin (but this is also not in all gymnasian obligatory), but with the aim, to prepare
for further vocational education and the additional option for further general education in
upper secondary.
In principle the open access is guaranteed, but in practice this is a great challenge for guidance,
counselling and support of young people for their right own way. An additional characteristic is
the interface after the eight/ninth/tenth grade of school.
Here is the main topic the decision between a further education and training path within a full
time school system or a part time school system – apprenticeship – , additionally the feature,
that the “Hauptschule” and at the eight grade, the apprenticeship starts at the tenth grade, so
that young people have to choose a one year school in between.
The “polytechnical school” is concepted especially for this young people, with a high impact of
orientation, practical, preparation for the next step of vocational education and training and
support for a successful step of placement into an enterprise for apprenticeship, combined
with phases of early work experience.
But more than the half of young people, who enter an apprenticeship, one from another
school type at the level of ninth grade, mostly without special orientation and preparation.
An additional feature of the Austrian school system is the high percentage of students, who
leave the “gymnasium” after eight grade and enter an additional school path in the “higher
vocational school system”, technical, commercial, or service orientated.
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