Establishment of Training Centers

Building Effective Training Institutions for the Railway Sector

We advise on the functional and technical requirements of a new academy as well as on the business and strategic planning and setup for operations of training facilities. The goal is to establish an effective and well-known regional or national training center.

Training centers or academies are essential to the railway sector equipping personnel with critical technical skills and ensuring that the workforce remains competent and compliant with evolving standards. By standardizing knowledge across the company, instilling a strong safety culture, and promoting leadership and soft skills, these academies help maintain expertise and efficiency, reduce operational risks, and enhance service quality. They also play a key role in training new talent and providing ongoing upskilling opportunities, which supports career progression and workforce retention.

In addition to technical training, modern academies incorporate digital platforms, simulations, and international partnerships to stay aligned with global best practices. This strategy does only future-proofs the workforce but also positions national railway systems for global competitiveness. With measurable improvements in safety, technical expertise and service outcomes linked to structured training, it's clear that academies are not just support functions but they are strategic pillars in the modernization and sustainability of the railway industry.

Our Offer

DB Rail Academy has supported the development of both regional and national training centers and academies for the railway sector worldwide. We provide expert advice on the functional and technical requirements of new training facilities, as well as guidance on training planning, business plan development, strategic development, and operational setup. Usually, we combine the development of a central training organization with a company-wide training needs assessment and/or competency analysis conducted in advance.

To establish a Training Center, we offer the following services:

Status Quo Analysis

Document analysis and interviews to identify strengths and weaknesses of the current training system

Reviewing current structures, responsibilities, resources and capacities, as well as processes, objectives and strategic alignment

Reviewing current training program: portfolio, measures and activities

Identifying relevant market and other preconditions (legal framework, certifications, competitors)

Definition of Functional Requirements

Identifying the needs for and the objectives of the new training center

Conducting a gap analysis on comparing the status quo situation of training provision with the objectives

Strategic Plan and Business Model Development

Development of a strategic plan taking into account various aspects: financial planning, economic planning, human resource planning, infrastructure planning, legal aspects

Cost-benefit analysis and development of an economic model for training services

Training Planning

Curriculum Development and Updating existing material to suit the requirements of a modern training methodology, technological progress and the strategic direction of the training academy

Train the Trainers: Support in training all trainers for the new academy including technical expertise and teaching methodology

Organizational Structure

Development of the structure of the training organization including description of responsibilities and processes

Planning of resources and implementation of systematic personnel requirements planning

Setting up most relevant processes for academy management, including room bookings, equipment bookings, trainer allocation plans

Support during the Construction Phase

Developing and supporting architectural/ construction plan with projection and construction company based on the functional specifications defined

Developing concepts for a sustainable building

Advise on design of classrooms and workshops including technical and non-technical equipment (machines, tools as well as desks etc)