ÖBB has decided to expand its vocational training workshop in Graz in order to better meet the growing demand for well-trained specialists.
To provide new apprentices with a solid training foundation, ÖBB will expand the building with an investment of EUR 1.7 million to offer even better quality vocational training.
Modernization work on the vocational training workshop in Graz will begin this month and will be completed in time for the start of the new apprenticeship year in September 2026.
An additional area of approximately 640 m² will be used to create modern laboratories and training rooms, IT training rooms with a dedicated 3D printing area, an electrical laboratory, as well as two social areas, sanitary facilities with changing rooms, a toilet accessible to people with disabilities, and a first aid room. Approximately EUR 1.7 million will be invested in the expansion.
The announcement was made during a visit to the training center in Graz by the Federal Minister for Innovation, Mobility, and Infrastructure, Peter Hanke, who was welcomed by Silvia Angelo, member of the ÖBB Infrastruktur management board, and Roman Hebenstreit, chairman of the Supervisory Board (employee representatives) within the ÖBB Group.
ÖBB increases the number of apprentices
The number of young people in training continues to grow, including at the vocational training workshop in Graz, which, after the expansion, will be able to accommodate around 20 additional apprentices, and the number of trainers will increase accordingly.
In 2025, 2026, and 2027, ÖBB will be able to take on 100 more apprentices each year than originally planned, thanks to a recently announced support package for apprentices worth around EUR 5 million. In a few years, the company will thus have around 300 additional, much-needed specialists who will contribute to the development of rail transport in the future.
The expansion and modernization of the training workshops, including the one in Graz, will create optimal conditions for training apprentices. The funds are earmarked directly for apprentices, trainers, and the infrastructure necessary for the training process.
“With the apprentice package, we are investing around EUR 5 million in the future of the railways. By 2027, we will create over 300 additional places for apprentices, and here in Graz alone, the vocational training workshop will be significantly expanded. In total, ÖBB welcomes around 750 new apprentices every year,” said Mobility Minister Peter Hanke.
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