Within the PATHS project, professionals from Harghita County visited Vienna to learn about good practices that support skills development and labour market integration for young people aged 14–21.

The Austrian partner presented the programmes of ÖJAB – Österreichische Jungarbeiterbewegung ‘EducationFit’ and the IPC training centre. These programmes involve young people who have already completed compulsory education but have not yet found their place in the labour market, offering them 10-week, personalised training courses.

Based on decades of Austrian experience, key success factors include:

• small-group training (8–10 participants), enabling more effective learning;
• mentoring and continuous follow-up, not only training itself;
• skills development aligned with labour market needs – alongside traditional trades, also design, e-commerce, digital tools, and social media skills;
• stable state support and a well-structured institutional framework.

Since 2025, Harghita County Council has been participating in the PATHS (Personalized Approach To Territorial Life And Career Support) European Union project, together with partners from eight additional countries in the Danube Region.

The initiative aims to strengthen career guidance and long-term life-path support, especially for young people living in rural areas. An important goal is to help as many young people as possible build their future locally and reduce outward migration.

The visit took place between March 9–12, 2026. In addition to experts from the County Council, Mózes Csongor, director of the “Kájoni János” Vocational High School in Miercurea Ciuc, also participated.