《110-2 Program Event》Now is the time to Study and Work in Austria: 20th May 2022 Austria Online Information session

Austria is considered one of the best countries in Europe to live in, due to its rich culture and mesmerizing natural beauty. In order to make students aware of the available opportunities in Austria, the Office of Career Development, College of Management, organized a Virtual Information session on May 20th, 2022, for students to learn more about studying and working in Austria. The key speakers of the session were Roland Rudorfer, Director, Austria Office Taipei; Daniel Aschauer, an alumnus of IBMBA currently working as a Deputy General Manager, Anton Paar Taiwan and Sarah Chiang, IBMBA alumnas who working in Austria as a Project Manager at Re-Teck Asset Management GmbH.

To give a brief introduction to Austria, Mr. Roland, shared some facts and figures about the country. Austria lies in the heart of Europe with a population of around 9 million people and the language most spoken in the country being German. It has a similar government structure to Taiwan and has a rich history of kings and queens. It is one of the 14 richest countries in the world and therefore has a very high standard of living. Austria is also home to some world-famous companies like Porsche, Swarovski, and Red Bull.

Working in Austria, as explained by Mr. Roland, includes excellent social welfare practices like Competitive wage systems, participation in Workers’ unions, and various types of insurance. The monthly salary is paid 14 times a year, and the highest paid jobs are in the Chemical and Oil processing industry, IT and Internet, banking, and so on. Project Managers, Lawyers, and controllers generally have the highest wages in Austria. Living cost, on the other hand, is comparatively more affordable than in countries like Hong Kong, Tokyo, or Singapore. Mr. Roland also shared some informative websites, like workinaustria.com which can be accessed by everyone to look for suitable job opportunities in Austria.

Regarding studying in Austria, there are 22 public universities, 16 private universities, and 21 Universities of Applied Science offering courses in a broad spectrum of academic subjects as well as professional disciples. To encourage international students, there are also multiple grants and scholarships available. Mr. Roland concluded by sharing a short video with a hidden mistake for students to guess, and Frank Lin from GHRM MBA 1st year guessed correctly and won a copy of a book about Austria.

Mr. Daniel Aschauer shared his experience of being part of the Global ACT Master Program which enabled him to study in Canada, Austria, and Taiwan. The Program provided him with the exposure to studying and living in different cultures and gave him an opportunity to meet people from diverse backgrounds. He encouraged students to focus on networking and gaining experience through internships whenever possible. He shared the differences in work culture between Taiwan and Austria and shared some valuable job searching tips. Having a career goal in mind is essential to finding jobs that fit your goals and he expressed how one should experience working in different fields to narrow what one likes or dislikes.

For a foreigner looking for work in Austria, it can be quite difficult but not impossible as shared by Ms. Sarah Chiang. To guide the students, she shared some valuable tips for students hoping to work in Austria. She shared that one should identify their strengths and weaknesses before applying for jobs and if possible have their peers review and edit the resumes to make it more full proof. She also highlighted the importance of networking and being up to date with visas and other official information to apply for jobs effectively. The interview process in Austria can take up to a month and is very comprehensive. The key to shining in the interviews is to portray your best personality and be confident in yourself.

The session was concluded after a quick Q&A session that helped clear students’ remaining doubts about living and studying in Austria.