Evaluation of the Employment Careers of Female FiT Graduates (“Women in Crafts and Technology”) in Austria

Against the background of the pronounced horizontal (as well as vertical) segregation on the Austrian labour market, the question arises to what extent graduates of the AMS training programme “Women in Crafts and Technology” (FiT) succeed in gaining a foothold in a craft, technical or IT-related occupational field after completing their training.

The analysis of labour market successes in this field includes three levels:

• The specific craft and technical training of the women and their transfer into an adequate occupational field or a corresponding occupational positioning,
• the support or barriers provided by the private or family environment, and
• the support or barriers in the company.

To this end, a structural data and longitudinal data analysis of FiT graduates was carried out in order to be able to make quantitative statements about the extent to which FiT graduates have sustainable, stable employment and income.

On the basis of a representative online survey of FiT graduates, it was ascertained which factors are conducive and which are obstacles to entering and remaining in a FiT-appropriate occupational field.

A qualitative survey of companies complements the evaluation. The aim was to obtain the perspective of companies on the situation of women in the hitherto male-dominated occupational field of crafts/technology/IT.