The Austrian school (education) system is characterized by a high degree of differentiation and selection.

The following examples should give some flashlights on essential elements of it

• early tracking after the first four years of primary school – needed decision for one of the two main tracks, so called “Hauptschule” (in status of transformation into: “Neue Mittelschule”) a four-year lower secondary school, or the “AHS” – (“Gymnasium”) an eight-year lower/upper secondary school track.
• Hauptschule (Neue Mittelschule) ends after the eight grade, it offers the option to enter upper secondary general or vocational full-time school (if the marks are sufficient) or pathways in dual vocational education – apprenticeship
• dual vocational education – apprenticeship – starts at 10th grate, so it is necessary to make a choice for a one year school type at 9th grade (e.g. Polytechnical School)
• this special kind of transition is something like an “abnormality” of the Austrian school system or a kind of “double transition” (OECD), with special challenges to empower students to make right choices – as a core element of entrepreneurship education and career management skills
• in upper secondary level there is a huge number of offers for general education (gymnasium), but especially in vocational education, both full-time school and dual. In both of this education pathways there exist more than 250 study programs each, this is also a huge demand for guidance and counselling, based on competences of students to find personal perspectives, define priorities for themselves and make a structured and proactive choice for the next phase of educational and vocational pathways – as a core element of career management skills, also as a essential part of entrepreneurship education.