EU Rail Suppliers Bet Big On New Talent Strategies to Beat Skills Cliff
Rail supply companies are taking matters into their own hands to replenish talent and boost diversity in the industry, as revealed in a first-of-its-kind survey.
European Rail Supply Industry Association’s Diversity and Inclusion Survey reveals an industry overhauling its talent strategy, with all companies surveyed ramping up programs dedicated to manager training, community building and support.
The survey of just under 100,000 workers at six major companies* across France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Austria revealed that at several companies, the 50+ cohort outnumbered the under-29 cohort by a ratio of more than three to one. Further to this, less than 14 percent of workers are under the age of 29.
Further to this, the weighted average of women across the six contributing companies stands at 19.1% - below both the broader European rail sector (avg. 23%) which covers operators and infrastructure managers, and the manufacturing sector (avg. 22.4%).
To arrest these long-held trends, the report shows the industry has a multitude of programs created within the last five years, which now have the strong potential to be scaled-up across the industry.
These include focusing on mentorship and knowledge transfers, adapted programs to better hire and support disability and neurodiversity within companies, while also ensuring and encouraging gender-focused programs.
Alongside this broad industry approach to address these skills challenges, some recommendations for policymakers at EU and national level include:
- Incorporating D&I performance as a recognised and rewarded criteria within tender frameworks across Member States or at EU level
- Putting D&I targets and objectives into the mandate of future Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking projects and related rail research programmes
- Making EU funding available through the European Social Fund+ and Erasmus+ for training, with a focus on inclusion alongside skills development
UNIFE and its members are currently engaging in the SERAS project (Single European Railway Area of Skills), and continue to be active in addressing these pressing skills and diversity challenges at both company and association level.
Read the full report here.
Quotes attributable to UNIFE Director General Enno Wiebe
“We need a new approach, as our current figures reflect we are not where we need to be. However, what this report shows is we have a multitude of ideas and concepts ready to scale up to replenish talent.”
“By making the effort to research what is working internally at different companies and organisations, we can provide transferable blueprints which can attract and retain the very best people regardless of their background.”
“We have a long journey ahead of us, especially facing structural forces such as a lack of women in STEM. Our industry has enormous potential for growth, but we need to find people to realise it. We now have direction and must act with purpose to address these challenges.”
