Germany recruits students to solve the tram driver shortage problem.
Benedict Hane, a German student in the city of Nuremberg, works as a tram driver in the mornings to cover his living expenses and attends classes in the afternoons.
This 24-year-old, who trained under an experienced trainer from the Nuremberg transport company, says that working as a tram driver has somehow brought his childhood dreams back to life. He says it feels great to have so many carriages behind you.
He also finds driving through the city with his own tram an exciting event and says, ‘My classmates think it’s really cool, and so does my family. They ride on my tram.’
Nuremberg city officials need to hire 160 new drivers each year for the metro, tram, and bus, but the transport sector, like many professional sectors in Germany, is currently facing a serious workforce shortage.