How you describe what you know
Basic course, main course and alternation between school and practice
Train preparation training is vocational education where you alternate school and working in company. You are trained to prepare and shunt trains so they are safe and ready for departure — and you earn money along way because you are employed as apprentice while learning
§The three parts of the qualification
The education is divided into a basic course and a main course. The basic course takes place at a vocational school and is divided into two parts of about 20 weeks each — together about 40 weeks if you start directly from primary school. If you come with experience or another background you can start further along in the course.
After the basic course you need to find an apprenticeship. This is an important point for this particular education: there is no school path where you can take the entire education without a company backing you up. You must have a training agreement with an employer before you can move forward to the main course.
On the main course, you alternate between school and practical training. You are out in the company most of the time and in school for several shorter periods where you gather the theory and test what you have learned in practice.
§How long does it take?
The total qualification takes between two years and two years and four months, depending on which specialty you choose. The passenger train specialty is typically shorter than the freight train specialty because the amount of school attendance and apprenticeship is slightly different in the two directions.
| Part | Where | Approximate duration |
|---|---|---|
| Basic course 1 | Vocational school. | approx. 20 weeks |
| Basic course 2 | Vocational school. | approx. 20 weeks |
| Main course | Company + school alternately | the rest of the course |
| Total | — | ca. 2 år til 2 år og 4 mdr. |
§Admission and access requirements
To start the basic course you must in principle have completed primary school and meet the entry requirements that apply to vocational educations — including a grade requirement in Danish and mathematics. The requirement is the same general entry requirement that applies to starting a vocational education directly after 9th or 10th grade.
Beyond the professional requirements, you must be able to meet the health requirements that come with working on and around trains — for example in connection with the driving licences and certificates you must obtain. It is a good idea to check the specific requirements with the school you are applying to.
§The way forward
When you are done you are a skilled train clearer with a journeyman certificate that shows you can prepare and shunt trains safely. It is your admission ticket to jobs in the railway industry – and a foundation you can build on with courses and further training later.
“You learn the trade where it's lived: out on the track, with an experienced colleague at your side.”