You receive this title with the HAK Matura
In your five years at the HAK, you expanded your general knowledge, acquired your first entrepreneurial skills and received a higher commercial education.
But what title do you get at the end of your education? After you have successfully passed the final school-year exams , you will receive your Certificate. This enables you to study at a university of applied sciences or a university, among other things.
It doesn't matter whether you took your Certificate at a general or specialised commercial college such as the one for Communication and Media Informatics (MedienHAK) or the one for Industrial Business (Industrial Business HAK). Your Certificate entitles you to study equally in all cases.
University or straight into professional life?
In addition to the possibility of studying, numerous doors are open to you in the professional world. Whether you enter professional life directly, become self-employed or pursue further education is entirely up to you.
You don't want to decide right away, but would rather take a break first? Some graduates use the time after the HAK Matura to travel or gain experience abroad, for example as an au pair.
If you are undecided and don't want to commit to a field of study or a profession, but still want to earn some money, there is another option: you can take a paid voluntary social year (FSJ).
Those who are clear about where their professional focus or interests lie usually start out with one of the three main options: Direct career entry, study or starting your own business. We present the three options to you.
Option 1: Find your perfect job after the HAK Matura
At the HAK, you learned the tools of the trade for commercial professions. Whether in trade, commerce or industry, companies are currently desperately looking for well-trained graduates.
If you have a clear plan for which career direction your heart beats or have already picked out some exciting companies, there's nothing standing in the way of your applications.
Especially in times of a shortage of skilled workers, companies are desperate for young, motivated young professionals. You should take advantage of this. Especially in the areas of controlling, finance and accounting, the demand for qualified professionals has increased even more after Corona. Accordingly, there are always great job offers at all levels in these areas: The chances that you will be able to start your dream job directly after the HAK school-leaving certificate are really good at the moment!
Are you looking for some inspiration?
We have some tips for you on what jobs await you after the HAK Matura:
- Controller:: If you have strong analytical skills and a strong understanding of numbers, the job as a controller is interesting for you. If you like it even more varied, you can be happy as an employee in corporate finance, treasury and M&A (mergers and acquisitions).
- Junior professional trainee for tax advisor: Are you interested in topics related to tax consultancy and auditing? In this area, you normally start as a junior or tax assistant and then climb the career ladder towards becoming a tax advisor.
- Financial or investment advisor: This entry-level job is for you if your heart beats for financial products such as shares, funds, ETFs, loans or insurance. You will have intensive contact with the clients you advise.
- Accountant: Do you like accounting? Then it's worth starting out as an accountant, bookkeeper or clerk in this field.
All of the jobs presented here are in the accounting, controlling and finance sectors. Within these sectors there is even more choice, and with your HAK school-leaving certificate you can also find an entry-level job that suits you. Here you can find all of our jobs online.
Do you want to go straight into professional life, but despite the inspiration you still don't know how? We at Schulmeister Consulting will accompany you on your way to your dream job.
Just send us your CV - we look forward to getting to know you!
Option 2: Study at a university or university of applied sciences
Have the five years at HAK flown by for you? Are you still eager to learn and would like to broaden your horizons in a particular field? Then a degree course is just the thing for you. Your Matura entitles you to enrol at a university, university of applied sciences, college, academy or university of teacher education.
Whether you opt for big-city flair in Vienna, Graz or Salzburg or discover a smaller place you like: depending on your field of study and preferences, there are dozens to hundreds of options.
Foreign countries are also open to you: Your HAK Matura, for example, also entitles you to enrol at a university or college in Germany or Switzerland.
Option 3: Start your own business
A job as an employee or further studies are out of the question for you? Do you already have a business idea or a business plan in the drawer with which you would like to realise yourself?
With the training at a commercial academy, you acquire more knowledge in the business management and commercial area - so it makes sense to become self-employed with this knowledge and a smart business idea in your luggage.
By the way: Anyone who wants to exercise a regulated trade in Austria needs the entrepreneurial examination. As an HAK graduate, you can avoid this and the associated costs, as your Matura already counts as proof of the required skills.
This is what you earn after the HAK
For one or two graduates, the main question after five years at school is: How much do HAK graduates earn with the Matura in their hands?
There is no general answer to this question. How much you can earn with your Matura depends largely on the path you take. If you become self-employed, your earnings depend solely on your business idea and your entrepreneurial success.
If you add a degree - possibly even a Master's degree - to your Matura, your income opportunities will also increase significantly compared to direct entry into a profession.
The best possible comparison is provided by a look at the earnings opportunities for direct career entry after the Matura. Depending on the source, starting salaries range between € 25,000 and € 35,000 on average. The job exchange StepStone calculates average earnings of € 36,000 for graduates.
Of course, the city or region in which you seek your professional happiness also plays a role. The average in larger cities like Vienna, Linz or Graz is higher than in smaller ones like Klagenfurt or Kapfenberg. But the cost of living - rent, electricity or food - is usually also higher there.
