Apprenticeships in Vienna: Ten Times More Seekers Than Places — What's Behind It Apprenticeships in Vienna: ten seekers per place according to AMS and WKO. Figures for 2025/2026, why Vienna is different and how to boost your apprenticeship search. Topics: News, Labor Market, Career & Education.

Vienna’s apprenticeship market is under pressure: for one open apprenticeship place (Lehrstelle) there are ten seekers. Headlines like «Zehnmal so viele Suchende wie Plätze in Wien» have worried teenagers, parents and employers alike. What does this number really mean and what can you do about it?

You’ll learn how many apprenticeships in Vienna were actually open in 2025/2026, why Vienna differs from the rest of Austria, which occupations offer better odds and how to speed up your Lehrstelle search. With data from AMS Vienna, context from WKO Vienna, coverage by ORF Vienna and official info at oesterreich.gv.at.

What ten-to-one means for apprenticeships in Vienna

Apprenticeships in Vienna at a 10:1 ratio mean that for every open Lehrstelle registered with the Public Employment Service AMS, there are about ten registered Lehrstellensuchende (apprenticeship seekers). According to AMS Vienna, in summer 2025 roughly 1,200 open apprenticeship places faced more than 11,000 seekers. This is a stock statistic, not «ten applicants per interview».

The distinction matters: Lehrstellensuchende are young people registered as seeking a Lehrstelle, while offene Lehrstellen are places companies reported to AMS. Many firms recruit directly via the WKO apprenticeship exchange or their own career pages and never appear in AMS figures. The real market is larger, yet as WKO Vienna notes, Vienna remains Austria’s tightest market by a wide margin.

For applicants, the message is clear: competition for apprenticeships in Vienna is high, especially in popular occupations. Starting early and using multiple channels makes a big difference.

Apprenticeships in Vienna in numbers: places and seekers 2025/2026

Vienna’s apprenticeship market stayed tight in 2025/2026. WKO Vienna counted about 1,150 open Lehrstellen in July 2025 versus 11,500+ seekers. Nationally the ratio is closer to 1:1.5–1:2, and some provinces even have more places than seekers.

The trend over two years shows seekers rising: around 9,800 in 2023, 10,900 in 2024, 11,500+ in 2025 at AMS Vienna. Reported places fluctuated between 1,100 and 1,400. As Der Standard reports, the peak is June–September, when graduates of Pflichtschule (compulsory school) enter the market.

Total apprentices (Lehrlinge) in Vienna remain stable at about 16,000–17,000 per year. The issue is not apprenticeship as such, but mismatch by occupation and the capital’s concentration of youth. If you are exploring working at 14 in Austria, note that the main Lehrstelle wave starts at 15, when competition is highest.

Why Vienna is different from the rest of Austria

Apprenticeships in Vienna are tighter for three reasons. First, demographics: Vienna is Austria’s fastest-growing and youngest region, with more school leavers and more young arrivals who prefer not to move provinces for training. In Tyrol or Upper Austria the ratio is often 1:1, in Vienna 10:1.

Second, economic structure: the capital has fewer industrial and craft firms that traditionally offer many Lehrstellen (metal, construction, wood). Demand is highest in retail, office/administration, IT and media/design. According to the AMS career lexicon, competition there is fiercest, while craft places stay unfilled.

Third, search channels: many Viennese firms don’t report to AMS but recruit directly. For seekers this means AMS figures understate supply and overstate active demand (some register «just in case» while also applying to schools). Even adjusted, Vienna stays 3–4 times tighter than the national average, as WKO Vienna points out.

In short, there are simultaneously too few apprenticeships in Vienna in popular fields and too few applicants in crafts and technology. Flexibility in occupation choice greatly improves your odds. Our guide to working in Austria also helps with the Lehrstelle search.

Which occupations are in demand and where chances are better

Odds for apprenticeships in Vienna vary sharply by occupation. Per the WKO apprenticeship exchange and ORF Vienna, the toughest fields are retail (Einzelhandel), office clerk (Bürokaufmann/frau), IT and media/design — sometimes 15–20 applicants per place.

Better odds are in crafts and technology: electrical engineering, plumbing and heating (Installations- und Gebäudetechnik), mechatronics, cook/confectioner, hairdresser. Firms there are eager and train from scratch. The apprentice income (Lehrlingseinkommen) in 2025 starts around €800–900 in year one and rises to €1,400–1,700 by year four — see our overview of the average salary in Austria.

Language matters: Lehrstellen usually expect German B1–B2, especially in customer-facing roles. Yet motivation often outweighs grades. If you are new to Austria, our guide on finding work in Austria contains tips that apply 1:1 to the apprenticeship search.

Ten to one doesn’t mean there are no places. It means you need to search broader, earlier and more directly — not just via AMS, but also directly with companies and at Berufsschule open days.

— Sofia Grünberg, Education Consultant, WKO Vienna

How to find an apprenticeship in Vienna faster: step-by-step

You can still land an apprenticeship in Vienna despite competition if you work systematically. Start 9–12 months before your desired start (usually September). Pick 2–3 target fields instead of one — e.g., «IT – retail – logistics» or «kitchen – bakery – hospitality». The wider the funnel, the higher the hit rate.

Step 1: Prepare documents — CV (Lebenslauf), short motivation letter, school reports. For a Lehrstelle, long work experience is not required; taster internships (Schnupperpraktika), school projects or volunteering are enough. Step 2: Register simultaneously on AMS apprenticeship search and the WKO apprenticeship exchange, plus check career pages of large employers (Rewe, Spar, Wiener Linien, Siemens). Step 3: Apply to 5–10 places per week and follow up by phone — personal contact is valued in Austria.

Berufsschule (vocational school) in Vienna works as dual training: 3–4 days at the company and 1–2 days at Berufsschule. Clarify the schedule in advance to show commitment. Under 18, special rules apply — see working at 14 in Austria — which also affect Lehrlinge.

Where to get help: AMS, WKO and Berufsschule in Vienna

If searching for apprenticeships in Vienna alone is not working, use free support services. AMS Vienna offers one-to-one coaching, interest tests and a filtered Lehrstellen list by district. Book online or by phone; walk-ins often speed up placement.

WKO Vienna helps via BerufsInfoZentrum (BIZ) and Lehrstellenberatung, including firms that don’t advertise publicly. Official requirements are summarised at oesterreich.gv.at: start from age 15 after Pflichtschule, duration 2–4 years, final exam Lehrabschlussprüfung (LAP).

Use open days at Berufsschulen and apprenticeship fairs — you can talk to trainers directly. For families new to the city, checking renting in Austria and transport links helps you pick a company near home. And if you consider alternatives, browse our pieces on education in Austria — sometimes a preparatory course boosts your Lehrstelle chances.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many apprenticeship places are actually available in Vienna? In peak months of 2025, AMS reported around 1,100–1,400 open Lehrstellen versus 11,000+ seekers. Real supply is higher because many firms recruit outside AMS via WKO and own sites, but Vienna remains the tightest market.

Why is the ratio ten to one in Vienna and not elsewhere? Vienna is the most populous and youngest region, with many school leavers and fewer industrial firms offering many Lehrstellen. In craft-heavy provinces the ratio is often 1:1 or even more places than seekers.

In which occupations is it easier to find an apprenticeship in Vienna? Easier in crafts and technology — electrical, plumbing/heating, mechatronics, cook, confectioner — harder in retail, office, IT and media with 15–20 applicants per place. Considering several directions strongly improves odds.

When can I apply and what do I need? From age 15 after Pflichtschule (9 years). You need a CV, school reports, a short motivation letter and readiness for dual training (company + Berufsschule). German is usually B1–B2, especially for customer roles.

What to do next: checklist for apprenticeships in Vienna

The market for apprenticeships in Vienna at ten seekers per place is not a dead end — it’s a cue to start earlier and search broader. Your checklist: 1) choose 2–3 occupational directions; 2) register with both AMS and the WKO exchange; 3) send 5–10 applications per week plus a short follow-up call; 4) show a concise CV and motivation, not just grades; 5) attend Berufsschule open days and apprenticeship fairs.

Get support from AMS Vienna and WKO Lehrstellenberatung — free and often with access to hidden places. To stay on top of labour-market and education news, subscribe to our newsletter — we explain Austria without bureaucratic jargon.