Austrian Embassy and seven retailers launch educational project for retail workers

Seven companies together with the Commercial Department within the Austrian Embassy in Bucharest will start in September, at “Costin C. Kiritescu” Economic College, o’SCAR – the Austrian Commercial School of Romania, an educational project aiming to prepare students to become merchants. Billa, C&A, Deichmann, dm drogerie markt, Hervis, Humanic and kika will provide practical training to young people alongside retail professionals, reads a press release.

“Both the Embassy and the seven companies see this public-private partnership as an investment in the Romanian society, amid the need of retail professionals. What makes the o’SCAR project be a choice for the students’ future is that it is based on the dual system, a particularity of the education system in countries such as Austria and Germany, which puts a great emphasis on practical training and targets the collaboration between schools and employers,” said Rudolf Lukavsky, commercial counselor with the Austrian Embassy in Bucharest.

“We are pleased that this project will take place in our high-school and that our students will have the opportunity to gain experience with renowned companies, learning straight from the pros. We hope that this initiative will help increasing the confidence in vocational education and in its importance to economy and society. I believe that innovation is needed in education and that the program based on dual system provides training adapted to the current labor market requirements,” said Loredana Viorela Popescu, the director of “Costin C. Kiritescu” Economic College.

The Austrian Commercial School of Romania translates into the introduction of two professional education classes as part of “Costin C. Kiritescu” Economic College in Bucharest, which will be based on the dual education system – a combination of theoretical and practical information. The program lasts for three years and provides the eighth grade graduates vocational training in the profession of merchant-seller in food and non-food (footwear, fashion, sports, furniture) fields.

Staff