One consequence of the heterogeneous provider structure in Austrian adult education and training is that there are not only different regulations regarding the initial training of trainers (cf. 9.7) but also regarding their continuing education and training.
- For teachers in continuing education and training at schools (e.g. at industrial master colleges, building craftsperson schools) the same rules apply as for teachers at secondary level (cf. 9.3)
- For teachers in continuing education and training at higher education establishments (e.g. as part of higher education courses) the same rules apply as for the scientific and artistic staff as part of Bologna study programmes (cf. 9.6)
For teachers in non-school-based or non-higher education-based CET there are no legal regulations regarding CET. For adult educators who are employed in a private educational establishment (non-profit or commercial), the valid collective agreement states that there has to be a company agreement on the principles of initial and continuing education and training within the company. In particular the establishment of a regular education and training offer within the company, the types of initial, in-service and continuing education and training and also the assumption of the costs by the employer have to be agreed.
Adult educators can obtain further qualifications for the following areas (selection):
- educational counselling and career guidance
- didactics and methodology, interculturality, pedagogy
- coaching and training
- management of the library, information and documentation system
- in-house adult education and training
- management positions (e.g. programme manager, site manager)
As well as bachelor, master and multiple training programmes at e.g.
- universities
- university colleges of teacher education
- private educational establishments
- the Danube University Krems
- the University of Graz (UNI for LIVE)
- and the Federal Institute for Adult Education (BifEB)
offer a series of CET programmes for teachers in adult education and training. In addition, the Austrian Academy of Continuing Education (wba) is a key stakeholder offering a validation system for the qualification and recognition by two-level-certification of competences with two degrees (wba-certificate, wba diploma) for adult educators.
For (also internationally) active trainers and employees in the field of employee training as well as for trainers who intend to become self-employed, various further education institutions (e.g. TÜV Austria, WIFI) offer a personal certification as a "Certified Trainer in Adult Education". This is an international proof of competence according to the criteria of the international ISO standard EN ISO/IEC 17024:2012. The certificate is valid for five years, for a recertification - i.e. prolongation of the personal certificate - corresponding proof of practice and further training must be submitted.
Virtual and blended learning continuing education courses for adult educators in teaching, training, management and counselling have also significantly increased and diversified in the areas of digital and media skills in response to the coronavirus pandemic and its lockdowns. Via the Portal Erwachsenenbildung, the BMBWF has created digiprof – continuing education for adult educators - a platform that provides quality-tested offers for digital continuing education for adult education.
Under the brand and on the EBmooc platform - the Massive Open Online Course for Adult Education - the BMBWF also offers free, time-flexible and certified online courses for adult educators in teaching, training and education management.