A Simple Solution for Multi-Skilled Personnel Scheduling Problem

Personnel scheduling for shift and task assignments has diverse applications and presents significant computational challenges, particularly in multi-skilled personnel scheduling problems. A recent methodology by Lalita and Murthy addresses large-scale shift and task scheduling but is limited to a homogeneous workforce. This article extends their solution to accommodate a heterogeneous workforce. Motivated by a real-world air traffic controller scheduling problem from a medium sized airport, this article proposes a streamlined and effective solution to the multi-skilled personnel scheduling problem using mixed integer linear programming formulations. This approach enables large-scale, multi-skilled personnel scheduling problems to be solved efficiently in a short time. Two key objectives for the air traffic controller scheduling problem that inspired this work are addressed: assessing staffing needs for shift scheduling and creating monthly rosters.