References

Since its foundation IFA has organised foreign work placements for about 5,000 people. In the course of these projects numerous contacts to companies in Austria and to international partner organisations in Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Finland, France, Norway, Sweden, Slovenia, Spain, etc. have been established.

• since 1995: organisation of work placements for apprentices, VET students, skilled workers and trainers within the framework of the Leonardo da Vinci programme and on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth 
• since 2002: organisation of work placements for apprentices working in companies in Graz on behalf of the City of Graz
• since 2003: organisation of exchange projects for the province of Styria, the Vienna Employment Promotion Fund, the Economic Chamber of Lower Austria, etc.

IFA is involved in numerous activities concerned with quality in mobility and the recognition of competences acquired abroad:

• 1995 – 2002:  introduction and marketing campaign for the Europass Training (now Europass Mobility) to improve the transparency and comparability of qualifications
• since 2002: central consulting and awarding body for the Europass Mobility in Austria
• since 2006: member of the steering group in the two European Commission projects Pro Mobility and REIM aiming at the establishment of qualifying mobility as part of the initial vocational education and training (IVET)
• since 2007: partner of the Swedish Leonardo project i 2 i (internship to industry)

Since 1995 IFA has supported the continuous vocational education and training (CVET) of gifted and committed apprentices and skilled workers by awarding grants provided by the Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth and the Economic Chambers.