Why is an academy needed?

Finding skilled workers is becoming increasingly difficult. With around 2,500 employees, the Austrian Federal Theatres are one of the largest training companies in Austria and have very specific requirements that often cannot be met by the market.

Currently, the individual group companies are training the following skilled workers:

• Carpenter
• Upholsterer and decorator
• Metal technician
• Event technician
• Make-up artist
• Electrical technician
• Men's tailor
• White seamstress (Linen and Hosiery workshop)
• Office clerk
• Possibly other apprenticeships from 2026/2027

What advantages does the academy offer apprentices and the Austrian Federal Theatres?

• Holistic understanding of theatre
• Uniform training standards regardless of trade and vocational school
• Creation of new networks across trades
• Modern and digital learning

How does the academy work?

In Austria, there is a dual system (vocational school & workshop) in apprenticeship training. We are expanding this dual system with a third pillar - the academy.

This includes the following offerings:

• Theatre-specific further education (e.g. theatre history, style studies, theatre English)
• Trade-specific further education (e.g. specialist courses in make-up artistry, CAD software for carpentry, costume history)
• Company-specific further education (e.g. sustainability at the Federal Theatres, data protection)
• Extended expertise (2 weeks per year change to another trade to also acquire knowledge there - e.g. carpenters go to upholsterers)

Where is the academy located?

The “Akademie für Theaterhandwerk” is located directly in the decoration workshops of ART for ART at the Arsenal. The modern, loft-like premises offer space for a total of 40 apprentices with 15 computer workstations, a modular setting for lectures, group work, etc., as well as recreation areas. The facility, with its colorfulness and lightness, provides the perfect framework to promote the creativity and design will of our apprentices.

All information about the individual apprenticeships and training offers can be found here: lehre.bundestheater.at