Initial vocational training

We are one of Germany’s largest vocational training providers with about 50 apprenticeship professions and 25 dual-­degree study programs. Young people have good career prospects with us because we generally offer vocational trainees and dual-degree students permanent employment after successfully passing their final exams.

¹⁾ Including DB Schenker (discontinued operation).
²⁾ Includes all class years of vocational training (usually three class years for both vocational trainees and dual-degree students).
³⁾ Companies with about 98% of domestic employees.

To continue to train young talents at a high level, three new training workshops were opened or existing ones modernized and a new location for team-building social and methodological skills training was added to the portfolio. In addition, a professional partner network was implemented to flexibly expand the area coverage for training workshops without increasing the capital commitment. The communication system for supporting young talents and the organization of the transfer of vocational trainees to the follow-up function was revised to achieve a stronger retention effect. The qualification of those involved in training was also strengthened by introducing a mandatory basic qualification for the supervision of young talents. The digitalization of training management is being continually expanded, with about 4,000 users having worked with the training management tool in 2024.

Figures correspond to respective career objective. 
Including DB Schenker (discontinued operation).

In 2024, about 6,100 (previous year: about 5,700) vocational trainees (excluding “Chance plus” participants) and dual-degree students started their vocational training or studies at DB Group. In 2024, we received about 120,000 applications (previous year: about 110,000 applications) for all training paths in DB Group. This shows that we are still an attractive employer, particularly for young people. As before, most vocational trainees started their career as railway employees in operational services, or as electronics engineers for operation technology.

We are involved in the social partnership-based reorganization of the most important vocational training professions in the rail transport sector. The application for the reorganization of the vocational training profession management assistant in traffic services was successfully submitted to the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz; BMWK) in the fall of 2024. This is aimed at launching the newly organized profession “management assistant for mobility and traffic services” from the 2026 vocational training year.