7. Terms and Conditions of Employment - Arbeitsmarktservice ...

Living & Working in Austria 2006
Hauptschule General Secondary School
Volksschuloberstufe Elementary school upper level
Sonderschuloberstufe Special school upper level
Oberstufenrealgymnasium Grammar school upper level
Berufsbildende Höhere Schule Vocational high school
Bildungsanstalt für Kindergarten bzw. Training institutions for kindergarten or social
Sozialpädagogik
education
Berufsbildende Mittlere Schule Vocational middle school
Polytechn. Berufslehre und Berufsschule Polytechnic prevocational school (dual
(Duales System)
system)
Reifeprüfung Graduation examinations
Reife- und Diplomprüfung Graduation & diploma examinations
Berufsreifeprüfung Vocational graduation examinations
nach Berufspraxis After industrial placement
Lebensjahr age
Universität university
Akademie für Sozialarbeit /
Gesundheitsdienste
Academy of social work and health services
Pädagogische Berufspädagogische
Pedagogical/vocational pedagogical
Akademie
academy
Kolleg College
Fachhochschule Technical college
Schulpflicht
Grafik
Mandatory schooling
After children have successfully completed their first four years of compulsory primary school
(Volksschule), they may either attend the lower level of a main general secondary school
(Hauptschule), the lower level of a secondary academic school (Unterstuffe der
Allgemeinbildendehöhere Schule – AHS ) or a special kind of school (e.g. Mittelschule).
There are also special schools for children with disabilities or special educational needs (e.g.
severe learning disabilities, mental and/or physical disabilities etc.) which cover the first eight
to nine years of schooling (e.g. Sonderschule (special school) or Sonderpädagogisches
Zentrum (special pedagogic center)). For their ninth year of schooling, children may attend a
pre-vocational course (Polytechnischen Schule) (offering professional orientation and
preparation for an apprenticeship), a domestic science college, secondary technical and
vocational intermediate and higher-level school (Berufsbildende mittlere oder berufsbildende
höhere Schulen – BMS/BHS) as well as the upper level of a secondary academic school
(AHS) or at the upper level of a secondary grammar school (Oberstufengymnasium).
Following completion of their ninth year of schooling, young people have the option of
professional training in the form of an apprenticeship (lasting two-and-half years to four years
depending on the apprenticeship trade), of entering the workforce or of continuing their
education at a secondary academic school (AHS) or at a secondary intermediate or higherlevel
technical and vocational school or college (BMS/BHS).
Graduation from a BMS (an intermediate-level secondary technical and vocational school
lasting 3-4 years) entitles a student to exercise an occupation according to the type of school
attended (e.g. commercial, technical schools). Graduation from a BHS (a higher-level
vocational and technical secondary college lasting 5 years) and passing the ‘Matura’ schoolleaving
examination not only qualifies students to continue relevant vocational training in a
number of occupations (according to type of school), but also to attend academies, technical
colleges, liberal arts colleges and universities.
Similarly, graduation from an AHS (an academic secondary school) and passing the Matura
school-leaving examination entitles students to enrol in academies, technical colleges, liberal
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