The Mentoring for Migrants (Mentoring für Migrant:innen) programme allows representatives of the Austrian business community (mentors) to connect with and support skilled people with migration background (mentees). By the summer of 2023, about 2 500 mentoring pairs had already been formed, with many beneficiaries already successfully integrated in the labour market.
The programme was established in 2008 at the initiative of the Federal Economic Chamber (Wirtschaftskammer Österreich - WKÖ), in cooperation with project partners, the Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF) and the Labour Market Service (AMS). Mentoring for Migrants is the only such programme in the German-speaking region.
How it works
Mentoring for Migrants is based on the premise that while many highly-qualified people of migration background already live in Austria, they often are not familiar enough with the local labour market and do not have the necessary contacts to integrate. Indeed, WKÖ points out that 78% of all job-seekers in Austria rely on personal networks when looking for employment opportunities. The programme enables Austrian companies to derive a competitive advantage by hiring people of more diverse background bringing new experiences and skills.
The project thus targets people with migration background who meet the minimum requirement of having completed a professional apprenticeship or have completed higher-level training, have a sufficient command of German and are permitted to work in Austria.
The mentors, in addition, are members of the business community with sufficient experience and social skills. Examples of successful pairs include, for example:
- a mentee with IT training and a mentor working in the IT sector;
- an executive with strong business relations with Serbia and a mentee of Serbian origin.
Some examples of what is achieved through the programme include:
- the development a career plan and pinpoint the steps towards its implementation;
- identifying and obtaining further training;
- creating contacts;
- getting invited to job interview;
- developing the mentee’s confidence;
- creating a business plan.
- Start date
- 1 Jan 2008
- Project locations
- Austria
- Project website
- Wirtschaftskammer Österreich - WKÖ
Results
To date, about 2 500 mentoring pairs have been formed. According to the latest evaluation available:
- 100% of the mentors appreciate mentoring as a meaningful instrument for the integration of migrants into the labour market;
- 83% of the mentors say that they themselves derive a benefit from the programme;
- 97% of the interviewed persons note that multilingualism and international transfer of know-how are strengthening the Austrian business location;
- 86% of the interviewed persons say the mentees could help local companies extend their activities abroad.