VERBUND welcomes new apprentices in Kaprun

Kaprun is the centre of VERBUND’s apprenticeship training programme for the federal states of Salzburg, Tyrol and Carinthia. At the traditional first day of training, Michael Amerer, VERBUND’s Head of Hydropower and the Group’s Apprenticeship Officer, welcomed 21 new apprentices, including two women. Thirteen of them will be trained as sought-after skilled workers in Kaprun, whilst the other eight will complete their training in Töging, Bavaria. The future power plant workers are studying two apprenticeship programmes simultaneously at the company’s own workshop and training centre: electrical engineering and metal technology.

“Our power plant workers are key players in the transition to clean energy. Hydropower and the grid face major challenges: global warming demands even greater flexibility and commitment from us. Our staff trained in-house are at the forefront of our efforts to drive the transition to clean energy,” said Managing Director and the Group’s Apprenticeship Officer Michael Amerer (VERBUND Hydro Power GmbH) in his welcome address.

Maximilian Aigner, Regional Minister for Energy: “A secure energy supply requires well-trained, skilled workers above all else. With its dual apprenticeship programme in electrical engineering and metal technology, VERBUND offers young people a high-quality training programme with excellent prospects for the future. The fact that Kaprun has been a supra-regional training centre for decades strengthens Salzburg as a hub for energy and business and secures vital expertise for the future.”

Two careers – one apprenticeship

Starting out at VERBUND as an apprentice lays the foundation for many future career development opportunities. The dual apprenticeship scheme – unique in Austria – provides a solid starting point: over a four-year apprenticeship, prospective skilled workers are trained as electrical engineers and metal technicians. Apprentices study at training centres in Kaprun, Ybbs and Töging in Bavaria for VERBUND and the grid operator APG. Great importance is placed on ensuring that theoretical knowledge can be put into practice straight away – ideally at one of VERBUND’s more than 100 power plants. Fellow apprentices and experienced mentors create a positive environment that also includes shared leisure activities.

Excellent training results

Apprentices have been trained in Kaprun since 1948. In 2009, the site was expanded into a supra-regional training centre. The unique dual vocational training programme at the VERBUND training centre in Salzach has earned a well-deserved reputation for excellence. The success rate for final apprenticeship exams in electrical engineering and metal technology is almost 100 percent.

In the two examination subjects of electrical engineering and mechanical engineering, they achieved a total of 8 ‘excellent’ and 12 ‘good’ results in 2026. In mechanical engineering, the Kaprun apprentices achieved the best examination results since 2009.