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Düsseldorf (dpa / lnw) - Despite the increased number of applicants, there are still not enough train drivers everywhere in North Rhine-Westphalia.
While it works increasingly well in metropolitan areas to fill vacancies, it is often difficult in rural regions, said Barbara Tünnemann, spokeswoman for the initiative "Focus Bahn NRW", the German press agency.
The cross-company state program against the considerable shortage of young talent was launched in 2019.
Since then, the number of people interested in the profession has increased significantly.
Meeting the demand, however, still required great efforts.
In the next four years, 1,200 train drivers will retire.
An increase in train traffic and frequent changes of operator aggravate the need.
In 2020, according to information from “Fokus Bahn NRW”, there were sufficiently qualified applicants available for 650 apprenticeship positions.
In addition, the Corona crisis has also significantly increased the interest of potential career changers: Since the summer, around 400 applications have been received via a joint online portal of the railway companies.
Around 84 percent of the applicants have a vocational qualification, "not infrequently also from the event or tourism industry," said Tünnemann.
Many apparently felt pressure to reorient themselves.
The number of female applicants has also increased.
However, a high number of applicants does not automatically mean that the situation will ease: The experience from 2019 shows that too many do not complete their training: Around 350 of the 600 train driver candidates who originally started in 2019 have successfully completed the course.
"It is now an important goal to reduce the high dropout and failure rates," said Tünnemann.
To this end, they are working on mentoring programs and improving the selection process: "We have to make it clear from the start that it is about demanding training for a responsible profession," she said.
“Some think it's like getting an additional driver's license.
But it's very learning-intensive, "she said.
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Information on Focus Bahn NRW
Program Focus Rail NRW