Struggles with Staffing at DB Signal Boxes: A Persistent Problem Amid Surge in Trainees
The recruitment of signal box personnel has become a challenge for DB, as per their internal presentation revealed by "SZ." Consequently, temporary signal box vacancies lead to interruptions in control centers and track disruptions, particularly in Stuttgart and Magdeburg's regions.
The incidents skyrocketed in 2022, with 688 signal box interruptions in 2021 and up to 4165 hours of signal box downtime due to staffing shortages in 2022. In the first half of 2023, there were already 2459 such incidents.
Despite the scarcity of workers, DB set a new record by onboarding 4200 trainees in 2019, a figure that has steadily risen ever since. Martin Seiler, DB's personnel board member, assured these trainees of job security post completing their final exams and emphasized DB's focus on nurturing young talent.
DB managed to select 6000 trainees out of 120,000 applicants, representing a 15% increase from the previous year.impressively, DB trainees' completion rate is 84%, significantly higher than the national average of 70%.
From September 2nd, DB expects around 900 prospective train drivers, 900 railway employees in train traffic control, and 750 electronics technician trainees to start their journey with the company. With around 15,000 individuals being trained, DB ranks among Germany's leading training providers and also plans to hire approximately 25,000 additional employees this year.
The persistent issue of signal box interruptions can stem from several factors such as demographic changes, skills gaps, economic uncertainty, geographic mobility, attrition, turnover, or biases in the hiring process. Understanding these factors can help DB tackle its staffing issues effectively.
