Evaluation of Promotion Schemes for Continuing Training in Enterprises. Target Group Focus of "Skills-Training" and "Skills Development Counselling" Schemes Offered by the Public Employment Service (AMS)

Since Austria has joined the EU in 1995 and participated in programmes of the European Social Fund (ESF), the Austrian Public Employment Service AMS has been organising measures to promote further education and training at enterprise level. Based on experience acquired in the first implementation phase of 1995-1999, schemes have, since 2000, increasingly focused on target groups that are particularly at risk of unemployment or rarely participate in further education and training. These promotion schemes are supplemented by counselling services for enterprises to help them to plan their staff development measures. During the past ESF programme planning period of 2000-2006, this focusing process was accompanied by an evaluation carried out by WIFO, the results of which are summarised in the report.