Training and development remain a specific challenge within the rail sector, as apart from the legal obligations, many training hours are needed and required to bring new employees up to a level to perform their tasks in a safe and efficient way.

However, as the target audience has changed, so have the way to deal with the topic. Young people have grown up with technology and are not interested in lengthy presentations. They require new tools to be attracted to a job in the rail sector, which also requires different training approaches.

With this knowledge, UIC, in collaboration with Rail Cargo Group, held a Serious Game Day at the Rail Cargo Group premises in Vienna, Austria, on 10 October 2024. Serious gaming is considered as a contemporary technique to teach knowledge on complex matters in business management.

Research and practical experience have proven that explaining complex business processes through soft techniques such as board or card games are very effective, as people retain the knowledge longer, better, and more easily. This experience was duplicated on the day where theory was followed by a number of developed games being trialled. The audience had the opportunity to see how a complex train planning process with single wagon loads, block trains, and intermodal trains was translated into a game context. Another card game explained the impact of insufficient cyber security on the bottom line of the company.

The participants highly appreciated the theory and the practice, stating that they were looking forward to the next event. They also requested a more in-depth session on how they could implement similar games into their training and development practices.

UIC is now evaluating the next steps to develop a number of these into standard business games which could benefit the entire sector. An opt-in has been proposed to join this sector initiative.