With the implementation of the induction phase in Austria, there is a legal basis for newly qualified teachers since 2019 (Federal Framework Act BGBI. I No. 211/2013). According to the recommendations of the Expert Group for the Teacher Education New reform, the aim of introducing the induction phase in Austria was to provide personal, professional and social support for young professionals (BMUKK/BMWF, 2010; European Commission, 2010). The professional support implied the need for mentors to accompany newly qualified teachers at the different types of schools. It also implied the introduction of in-service courses offered by teacher training colleges, aiming to develop important profession-specific competences and support the socialisation process in the school. This study presents initial findings on the implementation of the induction phase after a mixed-methods study of newly qualified teachers in Austria. The focus is on professional support measures and particularly the impact of the in-service courses attached to the induction phase. The research question was formulated as follows: How is the professionalisation process of teachers at the beginning of their career supported? Data were collected by means of a questionnaire (n=100) and semi-structured interviews with young professionals (n=15) in September/October 2019 and February/March 2020. The survey data were analysed using the Mann-Whitney U test, whereby the responses of newly qualified teachers were correlated with gender and school type. Qualitative data were analysed through qualitative content analysis. The results show that primary school teachers rate the content of the accompanying in-service courses of the induction phase significantly higher in value than their secondary school colleagues (p<0.029; 41.9% vs 19.3%). In addition, both sample groups (primary and secondary school teachers) rated the personal and social support they received during induction higher than the professional support. The respondents value that the challenges they face in schools can better be overcome through social support. To improve the professional support, the respondents would like to see stronger networking between institutions.

BMUKK/BMWF (2010). LehrerInnenbildung NEU. Die Zukunft der pädagogischen Berufe. Empfehlungen der ExpertInnengruppe [Teacher Education New. The Future of the Teaching Professions. Recommendations of the Expert Group]. Retrieved from https://www.qsr.or.at/dokumente/1870-20140529-092820-Empfehlungen_der_ExpertInnengruppe_Endbericht_092010_2_Auflage.pdf European Commission (2010). Developing coherent and system-wide induction pro¬grammes for beginning teachers: a handbook for policymakers. European Commission Staff Working Document SEC (2010) 538 final. Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/assets/eac/education/policy/school/doc/handbook0410_en.pdf Federal Framework Act BGBl. Nr. 86/1948 adapted through BGBl. I Nr. 211/2013. https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/Dokumente/Bundesnormen/NOR40160594/NOR40160594.html (2021-02-10).