How Can We Address the Railway Sector Unskilled Workforce Shortage?

With large railway construction plans in the EU on the way, it is critical that competent people are hired and integrated swiftly. We discussed with our recruiting professionals about the railway sector’s skills shortfall and the need of having a diverse workforce.

It is no secret that the railway sector in the EU has been dealing with a deficit of workforce especially in the past two years since the epidemic started. The gap between supply and demand is expanding as a result of a combination of high numbers of existing employees approaching retirement age and a decrease in entry-level applicants in recent years. However, projects are still moving forward.

While this is good news for workers interested in working in the railway sector, the fact remains that there aren’t enough unskilled and skilled workers to complete these projects successfully. The overall picture on the labour market dedicated to the railway sector is alarming. Many companies hiring unskilled workforce are now trying to find resources to fulfil current demand, and meeting this goal will undoubtedly be difficult.

Currently, the EU plan for recovery is anticipating that fast-tracking ‘shovel-ready’ projects, including railway developments, will aid the EU economy’s recovery from COVID-19 epidemic. Having enough experienced specialists ready and able to work is critical. However, our recruiting specialists believe that one of the most significant obstacle in supplying projects with unskilled or skilled workforce is going to be the way labour and immigration policies are going to apply to internal EU workers.

That is why our agency helps companies from Germany, Austria and from other EU countries, with procedures according to A1 from, supplying workforce from Romania needed by companies developing railway construction projects. Our candidates are thoroughly scanned before being selected and presented to our business partners so that is why our consultants have listed a series of non-formal skills, they appreciate a blue-collar worker should take into consideration when submitting their resume.

Another solution recommended by our agency’s consultants for our business partners is to invest in on-site training and apprenticeships to attract more people to work in the railway industry. These, on the other hand, need to be updated to reflect the post-coronavirus era. Young workforce will be critical in filling skill gaps as the old workforce is approaching a retirement cliff.

During lockdowns, our recruiters have seen a few things. For example, due to a lack of flexibility, certain recruiting programs have come to a standstill rather than being pushed online to maintain momentum.

To reduce the possible impact of lockdowns on recruitment processes, our agency has turned to digital tools. According to Gabriel Florea, CEO of Geologic-HR, “the Agency had to be innovative and creative in its approaches to closing the railway sector workforce demand. That is why we developed online recruiting campaigns and we pushed our communication forward to address the needs of our business partners, reassuring them that the unskilled workforce from Romania is available and ready to start working.”

Geologic-HR further more recommends companies to consider the expansion of their apprenticeships and training programs, since these large railway infrastructure projects will be critical to the future of the EU economic recovery plan.

At Geologic HR we put all our leadership and business skills into action for our business partners. We understand the market’s challenges and we are building innovative strategies and online campaigns to recruit the best temporary workers. Last but not least, we ensure that these jobs can deliver both core labour and a sustainable income, with legal protections, wages, and safety nets that are enjoyed by temporary workers in the whole EU, taking pressure from our partners in finding the right people. In case you will have any questions on how we can help you do not hesitate to write us at or give us a call.