Eight young people are being trained to become nursing specialists. LR Christiane Teschl-Hofmeister and WKNÖ President Wolfgang Ecker met the nursing apprentices for an exchange.
St. Pölten (OTS) – “The economy and the healthcare sector both face the great challenge of finding qualified employees. The new apprenticeships are another important step to strengthen the nursing sector in the long term and to train our own specialists,” emphasize LRChristiane Teschl-Hofmeister and Wolfgang Ecker, President of the Lower Austrian Chamber of Commerce, during an exchange with the eight Lower Austrian nursing apprentices at the vocational school in St. Pölten.
Christiane Teschl-Hofmeister: “Further training opportunities created”
“With nursing apprenticeships, we are creating an additional, attractive training opportunity that follows directly after the end of compulsory schooling,” explains State Councilor Christiane Teschl-Hofmeister and emphasizes: “Our nursing staff do fantastic work every day. With the nursing apprenticeship, we are taking a further step to, on the one hand, relieve the burden on our current employees and, on the other hand, to ensure the high quality of nursing care for all Lower Austrians in the long term.”
Wolfgang Ecker: “Needs targeted regional measures”
“For years we have been committed to introducing new apprenticeships in order to meet the current needs in the healthcare system,” explains Wolfgang Ecker, President of the Lower Austrian Chamber of Commerce, and adds: “In order to combat the shortage of employees, targeted regional measures are needed. And This is exactly what is happening with the two new apprenticeships.” The WKNÖ apprenticeship office is an important interface here, “since it is responsible for handling both the apprenticeship system and nursing apprenticeships.”
Jana Bockholdt: “Inspiring people about this great, meaningful profession”
“As diverse as the profession is, so are the people who want to take it up,” says Jana Bockholdt, industry spokesperson for the Lower Austrian nursing facilities in the Lower Austrian Chamber of Commerce and managing director of the Barmstädte Sisters Pflege GmbH. The nursing apprenticeship is one of many opportunities to “inspire people to take up this fulfilling and meaningful profession, right after they have completed compulsory schooling.”
Sophia Edhofer: Nursing apprentice Casa non-profit GmbH “I always wanted to go into nursing. I find it exciting to look after and care for people in a wide variety of life situations. Working in a multi-professional team is interesting. And what makes me most happy is when the residents are happy to see me, greet me with a smile and tell me about their lives.”
Angelina Hager: Nursing apprentice at St. Louise House (Maria Anzbach) “The work is as I imagined it would be. She gives me a lot of joy. I know the job from home. My mom is a nursing assistant and we had to look after Urlioma and Grandpa at home. I think it’s good that I’m in the middle of people in my job.”
Philipp Eduard Inzinger: Nursing apprentice at Casa non-profit GmbH “It is important for me to have a job in which I can help people and dealing with older people has always been particularly close to my heart. What I enjoy most is talking to the residents and making them laugh.”
Benjamin Pfrommer: Nursing apprentice Mater Salvatoris “I always wanted to work in the social sector and after several internships in nursing, I knew that this was the right place for me. What I like most is the social interaction with the residents. If you get along well or can simply help them.”
Katharina Wagner: Nursing apprentice Mater Salvatoris “I can finally learn my dream job. What I like best is the cohesion here – no one is alone. And the residents give you so much back. It’s definitely never boring, there’s always something new and exciting to learn and do.”
Carina Ballwein: Nursing apprentice at the Yspertal care center “I enjoy helping people. That’s why I decided against further school and instead decided to learn the nursing profession from the ground up. Playing with residents, doing crafts, going for a walk or having a conversation – if I take just a few minutes of time with these people, I notice how happy they are. And the team here is great.”
Celina-Andrea Schopf: Nursing apprentice for the Kritzendorf Brothers of Mercy “I would like to learn new things and have more contact with older people. I enjoy the work a lot. What I like best is dealing with the residents and getting to know new people. When they are happy, smile and show gratitude, it is a very nice feeling.”
Details about nursing teaching
80 percent of the training takes place in the respective company, while the theoretical knowledge is imparted at the St. Pölten State Vocational School with the involvement of the School for Health and Nursing in St. Pölten. The training is structured in such a way that the apprentices are qualified up to the age of 17 so that they can then work directly with patients. The nursing assistant training course will last three years and the nursing assistant training course will last four years. The training regulations are coordinated so that the same content is taught in the first three years of training and both job profiles can be fully credited in the first three years. The two apprenticeships in the nursing assistant professions conclude with the respective final apprenticeship examination, which also includes professional entry into the corresponding nursing professions. Specialists interested in further training can then, for example, acquire the qualification of qualified health and nursing at the university of applied sciences (part-time).
Questions & Contact:
Lower Austrian Chamber of Commerce, Communications Department Wirtschaftskammer-Platz 1, 3100 St. Pölten +43 2742 851-14100 communication@wknoe.at
