BFI Burgenland Faces Major Staff Reductions
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BFI Burgenland Faces Major Staff Reductions
- The Berufsförderungsinstitut (BFI) Burgenland has indicated potential layoffs for 64 employees, representing almost half of its 130-140 person workforce.
- BFI Burgenland CEO Jürgen Grandits attributes the situation primarily to increasingly short-term contract awards from the Public Employment Service (AMS) and heightened competition.
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The Berufsförderungsinstitut (BFI) Burgenland has initiated the process to potentially dismiss 64 of its approximately 130 to 140 employees, signaling a significant reduction in its workforce. This move affects nearly half of the institution’s staff, with 24 potential job losses in North Burgenland and 40 in the southern region. The areas most impacted are trainers and educational management personnel.
Jürgen Grandits, CEO of BFI Burgenland, confirmed these developments, citing the increasingly short-term nature of contract awards from the Public Employment Service (AMS) as a primary cause. He noted that annual re-tendering of contracts makes long-term planning difficult for the institution, which has an annual turnover of around 14 million Euros and is supported by the Chamber of Labour and the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB). Grandits also pointed to a rise in private providers entering the educational market, intensifying competition.
A critical factor in the current uncertainty is an ongoing procurement process for the supra-company vocational training of 101 young people in North Burgenland. This contract, valued at two million Euros, is crucial for the BFI. An initial tender by the state was awarded to BFI but was successfully challenged by the Chamber of Commerce. A subsequent tender by the AMS was withdrawn due to quality concerns. Grandits has stated that securing this major contract could potentially reverse some of the planned layoffs, particularly the 24 in North Burgenland. The BFI is awaiting a decision on whether it will bid for the new tender.