Stocktaking of the Automotive Sector in Austria

The automotive sector is facing far-reaching changes as a result of the transformation to electromobility. Studies on the predicted employment effects of the structural upheaval paint a predominantly negative picture, although the effects vary from sector to sector. The sector currently employs about 1 percent of the total number of employees in Austria (just under 40,000 direct employees). In total, more than 100,000 employees in Austria are linked to the automotive sector through indirect and induced impact channels. Employment in the automotive sector is male-dominated, with an above-average share of blue collar workers, apprentices and employees of prime working age. Employment is relatively stable, and turnover is lower than in manufacturing as a whole. The stability of the employment relationship is underlined by the above-average proportion of transitions from work to retirement.