From the classic apprenticeship to training with and after the Matura: For more than 55 years, BRP-Rotax Lehrwerkstätte has offered a variety of training paths. In September, the Upper Austrian showcase company now recorded the graduation of the first graduate of the new Dual Academy (DuAk), thus proving the success of the shortened training period for AHS high school graduates. In addition, a highly innovative environment promises a wide range of development opportunities and exciting career prospects for young professionals.

What do you do when you graduate from AHS? This is a question many students ask themselves after graduating from high school. The Upper Austrian developer and producer of drive systems BRP-Rotax offers an answer: In 2019, the Dual Academy (DuAk) was set up in the company in close coordination with the Upper Austrian Chamber of Commerce. This new educational initiative offers new ways to start a technical career especially for AHS graduates, students without a degree or career changers. Unlike traditional apprenticeships, the DuAk training program is one year shorter. This year, Thomas Schobersberger was the first DuAk graduate to complete his apprenticeship as a mechatronics technician at BRP-Rotax with distinction and was presented with his well-deserved diploma in September.

Dual training: Starting full throttle into professional life after graduating from high school
"The dual academy is the perfect complement to our other training tracks to counteract the shortage of skilled workers and to offer AHS high school graduates appealing development and career opportunities. We are pleased that Thomas Schobersberger, as the first successful graduate - and equipped with all the necessary skills for the future - will now be starting out with us in the company," says Werner Lehner, head of the BRP-Rotax training workshop. Due to its success, BRP-Rotax is continuing the program this fall and is even expanding the dual training program to include two additional occupational groups: automotive technician:in and IT systems technician:in.

Graduate Thomas Schobersberger also gives a positive summary of the past 2.5 years: "I am proud to be the first person at BRP-Rotax who had the opportunity to complete a technical apprenticeship through the Dual Academy. Since I am practical and technically savvy, the decision for the DuAk was absolutely right for me. I was particularly enthusiastic about my final project in the field of robotics, a subject I had hardly come into contact with before and which I would now like to explore further in the company. I can really encourage all technically interested AHS graduates to also take advantage of this great opportunity."

Thomas Schobersberger is now continuing his career as a measurement engineer in research and development (R&D) at BRP-Rotax. His successful final project, the implementation of a collaborative robot including a training program, which was built specifically for the TECVan mobile engineering laboratory of BRP-Rotax's subsidiary RIC, also has a permanent place in the company.

A wide range of opportunities: Get off to a flying start with apprenticeship and Matura
The shortage of skilled workers, intensified by the retirement of many baby boomers, is currently a concern for many industries. This makes it all the more important for BRP-Rotax to offer the next generation a wide range of career paths with interesting training and further education opportunities. These include, for example, "apprenticeship plus", i.e. apprenticeship with Matura or also apprenticeship with HTL-Matura via the Kremstal Technical Apprenticeship Academy (KTLA). Here, the training consists of a combination of practical experience in the apprenticing company and (HTL) technical instruction, which is then completed with the Matura or with the title of engineer. Afterwards, the graduates can either continue their studies or directly start their career at BRP-Rotax as trained top technicians.

"What has been true in the past counts even more in the current times: the young talents of today are our key employees of tomorrow. Therefore, it is particularly important to us at BRP-Rotax to adapt our offers and training plans to individual needs in a contemporary manner. The young people are curious, get stuck in and let us look optimistically into the future, which will be in the best hands with them," Werner Lehner is convinced.