Theory at the university, practice at the rail plant: New cooperation signed

Studying for a strong rail: Deutsche Bahn (DB) and Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) today signed a cooperation agreement. In the future, dual students will be able to learn theory at BTU and complete practical training at the rail plant just two kilometers away. The first five trainees will start this year. Prof. Gesine Grande, President of the BTU, and Kai Buchwald, Project Manager Human Resources New Cottbus Plant, DB Vehicle Maintenance, met on the university campus to sign the cooperation agreement.

Kai Buchwald, Project Manager Human Resources New Cottbus Plant, DB Vehicle Maintenance: "This cooperation is an important milestone for Lusatia to make the region more attractive. We are creating new capacity in Cottbus for the maintenance of ICE 4 trains, and a total of 1,200 high-quality jobs and apprenticeships will be created there by 2026. We intend to fill some of these jobs together with the BTU as part of a practical degree program in mechanical and electrical engineering."

Prof. Dr. Gesine Grande, President of BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg:"The BTU assumes a central responsibility in the structural change process in Lusatia - for research, innovation and transfer as well as for the training and qualification of skilled workers. Deutsche Bahn is a key player at the Cottbus site and we are therefore very much looking forward to close and intensive cooperation. Today's agreement on our dual study programs, which are in high demand, is a first step. We are thinking and planning further to define fields and topics of scientific cooperation with a focus on digital maintenance. We want to shape the future together."

The new cooperation also eliminates long travel times: Until now, dual students who complete their practical phase at DB's Cottbus plant have had to travel to the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW) in Mannheim for the theory modules. The new collaboration means that both the university and practical phases will take place in the region.

DB and BTU want to work together to shape structural change and advance the mobility revolution with scientific exchange. Further talks are therefore currently underway between the two partners with a view to working together in other areas in the future. This will enable specialists to be trained at an early stage in order to drive forward technological progress in the maintenance of rail vehicles and shift more traffic to climate-friendly rail.