20 years of The Workshop”: craftsmanship meets social responsibility!

20 years of The Workshop”: craftsmanship meets social responsibility!

A lot is happening in the social landscape in Vienna. A shining example of this is “The Workshop” at Hofherr-Schrantz-Gasse 4. For no less than 20 years, this company, which is part of “Trendwerk GmbH”, has been offering professional opportunities for people who are having a hard time on the job market. District leader Georg Papai (SPÖ) visited the workshop and was impressed by the impressive measures for integration into the world of work. The workshop combines craftsmanship with social responsibility and has thus won a place in the hearts of many.

Around 20 transit workers work in the workshop, supported by a dedicated team of ten employees. Your goal? Helping people who have had to go through a period of unemployment get back on their feet. Opportunities for reorientation are offered here through internships, temporary jobs or even transfers to partner companies. District leader Papai emphasizes how important this integration into the labor market is for those affected and how successfully this is implemented in the workshop.

Opportunities through socio-economic businesses

The workshop is part of a larger network of socio-economic companies (SÖB) in Austria. These companies offer temporary jobs, which are paid according to collective agreements, to people who have been unemployed for a long time. The Employment Service (AMS) as well as states and municipalities support such companies in order to better integrate young and older job seekers into the labor market. In recent years, SÖBs have established themselves as an essential component of Austrian labor market policy, especially for those who often have difficulty finding permanent employment.

• Wesentliche Merkmale von SÖB:
• Sie bieten zeitlich befristete Arbeitsplätze für lange Zeit Arbeitslose.
• Unterstützung von qualifizierten Fachkräften zur Entwicklung von Fähigkeiten.
• Individuelle Beratung und gezielte Qualifizierung.

Statistically, the number of people supported in SÖB or non-profit projects was around 28,000 in 2016. The offers give many of these people the opportunity to return to the regular job market. The length of stay in these jobs varies in Austria: in some cases it can be between six months and a year, sometimes even up to three months, depending on the region and needs.

The challenges of the future

However, not everything is rosy. In recent months there have been repeated discussions about possible budget cuts to the AMS, which could have worrying effects on the existence of socio-economic companies. Companies like WAMS that operate in Tyrol are already having to deal with closures if the financial situation does not improve. These uncertainties are leading to public solidarity and a call for more funding to sustain the valuable work.

The question remains: How can we maintain the positive trend in employment? Given the diverse challenges that plague unemployed people - be it health problems, childcare or caring for relatives - the demand for transit jobs remains high. For many, this path is often the only way to regain their footing and lead a self-determined life.

The workshop in Floridsdorf impressively shows how important supportive structures are in society. It remains to be hoped that the necessary resources will be made available to guarantee the continued existence of this important institution and similar businesses.