Ethiopia’s new railway training academy brings hope to young workers and families: summary

What we know

• Construction has begun on what will soon become East Africa’s largest railway training facility in Bishoftu, a town about an hour away from Addis Ababa.
• The Ethiopian Railways Corporation (ERC) launched the project on Saturday, November 22 and believes this will transform the country's railway sector through "research and technology development".
• Spanning 62 hectares, the centre will feature classrooms, engineering labs, workshops and even an 800-metre practical training track.
• Once operational, it will train thousands of Ethiopians annually in various fields, including railway operations and safety, as well as locomotive maintenance and signalling systems.
• More than 2,800 Ethiopians have already been trained abroad for the Addis Ababa–Djibouti railway. This academy is designed to bring that training back home, cutting costs, building independence and strengthening local expertise.
• Beyond Ethiopia positioning itself as the railway hub in East Africa through this project, more individuals will be opened up to job opportunities, including instructors, administrators and machine operators.

What they said

Alemu Sime, PhD, Minister of Transport and Logistics, stated that "The Railway Academy will provide efficient transportation services by establishing a modern railway infrastructure to connect the country’s major development centres and all neighbouring countries." Ethiopian Railways Corporation (ERC) The Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer, Hlina Belachew (eng.), also added that "This is a crucial day in the journey of every great institution, when key moments and visions are transformed into reality; this groundbreaking ceremony is a foundation for knowledge, innovation, and the growth of Ethiopian and East African railways."