Behind the scenes at rail maintenance, Robert Kaplan and the defense student workers

It's physically demanding, but educational and well-paid. That's why master's students are lining up for positions as working students at the Ministry of Defence. Princess Amalia has also completed the screening process; she'll start in September. The idea is for the working students to graduate after three years and pursue careers outside the military, while remaining reservists – and acting as ambassadors for the Ministry of Defence.
Robert Kaplan likely agrees. The American author, geopolitical expert, and seasoned pessimist makes no bones about it: lethal troops ready to fight are what Europe needs. "There's no such thing as soft power. There's no international law. It's all about the survival of the fittest and who can intimidate whom."
Defense isn't the only sector looking for personnel. Thousands of people are needed for track maintenance. These people are hard to find, especially for night shifts. This means more work is taking place during the day, requiring more buses to be deployed to transport passengers. Bus companies are also facing staff shortages.
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And again, the train isn't running. Staff shortages throughout the entire chain are forcing ProRail to make concessions: the growing workload is being scheduled more often during the day. This means fewer trains and more bus services.
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