BFI (Berufsförderungsinstitut Wien)

Owned by the Chambers of Labour and the Austrian Trade Union Federation, the BFI vocational training institute is the largest educational institution for workers in Austria. Their activities focus on vocational education and (continuing) training for workers as well as educational and occupational schemes for unemployed persons and workers threatened with unemployment. Their objective is to promote the personal and occupational development of the persons enrolled in their courses, by providing high-quality education and training at a reasonable cost. The courses are targeted at the actual demands of the labour market and also provide orientation in a world of change. Their level of courses is maintained by means of an internal quality management system, continual further training for BFI employees and an international transfer of know-how. Most of their education and training courses are based on modular systems, so individually tailored and thus highly efficient forms of learning are possible. Each year around 20 000 courses and seminars comprising a total of approximately 2.5 million lessons are held in more than 160 locations all over Austria and attended by over 225,000 persons. Some 1700 regular staff and more than 6000 freelancers work at the BFI. Their priorities:   Specific education and training schemes for individual industries Customised company courses Preparation for schoolleaving exams Apprentice education and training Labour market courses Projects