Like other European countries, many industries in Germany face severe human resource shortages
Nuremberg:
Benedikt Hanne, 24, sits at the tram’s control panel and expertly drives the red and white van, hours before he heads to the University of Nuremberg to study for a degree in social work.
As an apprentice, Hanni is closely monitored by his trainer and the tram he drives has no passengers.
But if all goes well, he will soon be a full-fledged tram driver, ferrying people through Nuremberg in the evenings or on weekends, when he doesn’t have classes to attend.
Due to severe manpower shortages, public transport operators such as Nuremberg City Service VAG have to find new sources to expand their workforce.
VAG needs to recruit 160 new drivers every year to operate its metro, trams and buses.
For Harald Ruben, head of the company’s recruitment and training team, it is clear that “we will not achieve this unless we explore all possible possibilities”.
The transport company has launched an ad targeting university students, offering part-time jobs driving trams off campus.
To qualify, they need to hold a regular driver’s license, be 21 or over, and be “reliable and fit to drive and work shifts.”
Like other European countries, many sectors in Germany face severe human resource shortages, and the situation is expected to worsen unless urgent measures are taken.
Public transport operators have warned they may have to reduce the number of buses, trams or metros as tens of thousands of jobs are expected to go unfilled in the coming years.
Shortage of workers has led public transport staff across the country to go on strike over the past few weeks to highlight their plight, with Verdi’s union warning the situation is worsening.
Many operators report that up to 20% to 30% of positions are unfilled, with shortages leading to a vicious cycle in which employees are overworked and then sick, exacerbating the situation.
Other German cities such as Mannheim and Munich have also begun recruiting students as potential part-time workers to fill gaps in public transportation.
“Really cool”
Hanne never thought he would drive a tram until a few weeks ago, when he saw an advert for VAG.
He said he applied immediately and was one of five people recruited. VAG received a total of 36 applicants.
Apprentice drivers wear the company’s red and blue uniforms and undergo an accelerated four-week course during the school holidays.
After several hours of theoretical lessons, the trainees practice on a tram simulator before riding on a real tram.
They are also required to take on extra homework to make up for the accelerated pace of the course, which is half the time of regular training.
After passing her driving test and spending a few days with a trainer, Hanne will drive a tram alone for 20 hours a week.
Haney, whose previous part-time jobs included working at a gas station, said he wasn’t worried about juggling college classes and work.
“Given the choice, I would prefer to drive a tram before going to university so that the day ends with classes,” he said, but added that he would also like to “work at other times of the day and see different people” and Condition”.
“It’s a great feeling to have so many carriages behind you,” Haney said.
“My classmates and my family think it’s cool. They’re going to get on my ride one day, that’s for sure.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
