Austria's Women Embrace Parental to Educational Leave Shift
The number of women transitioning from parental leave to educational leave has surged in Austria, increasing from 500 in 2010 to 7,100 in 2021. Labor market experts and organizations are now focusing on making this option more accessible and beneficial for women.
Trude Hausegger, a labor market expert, is pushing to reach women with migration backgrounds or lower education levels, encouraging them to continue their education during or after parental leave. She advocates for in-person or hybrid courses to maintain professional engagement and boost self-confidence.
A new model requires at least 26 weeks of employment subject to social security contributions between parental leave and the start of educational leave. Women who combined these leaves had a 1% higher employment probability and earned an average of €500 more per year than those who switched directly to educational leave after their job. However, the primary goal was compatibility with childcare and work, not the educational aspect.
Ulrike Famira-Mühlberger, a labor market economist, suggests that women with high income and employment orientation benefited most from educational leave after parental leave. This aligns with the fact that 76% of women with children under 15 work part-time compared to 7.4% of men.
Marko Miloradovic, Managing Director of Waff, observes higher interest in continuing education from people with higher education levels. The Waff program 'Parental Leave and Re-entry for Employees' offers advice, funding for training costs, and counseling sessions to support reintegration into the professional world after parental leave.
The combination of parental leave and educational leave has shown positive effects on women's employment and income. Efforts are underway to make this option more accessible to women with migration backgrounds or lower education levels. However, more research is needed to determine which group of women achieved the strongest positive effects through flexible online training between 2010 and 2021.
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