How to Secure the Future of Your Company – The Railway Talent Hub Initiative

How did you first enter the railway industry? When and where was the moment when a person, a presentation or a job advertisement inspired you and encouraged you to pursue a career in the rail sector? Or was it simply a coincidence?

The goal of the Railway Talent Hub initiative can easily be explained through these questions: we want to give students in technical fields exactly this kind of inspiration and support them by organising events and creating platforms for networking, so that they may one day find themselves where you are today.

Over the past three years since the Railway Talent Hub was launched, we have already witnessed several such success stories and successfully filled positions with motivated graduates who bring great added value to companies. In this way, we actively help address the shortage of skilled professionals.

To continue pursuing this vision, we rely on our member companies and, above all, on the people behind them — each with a personal journey that can inspire students and help guide them towards their future careers.

We are looking for exactly these people to become part of our events and share their inspiration. At the same time, this is an opportunity to present your company to students, spark interest in your field of expertise and help secure the future of your company together with the next generation.

To support this, the Railway Talent Hub, an initiative by Swissrail and the VöV, organises several events every year.

One example: just last week, the “Meet the Engineers” event took place at ZHAW. Representatives from a wide range of companies attended. During short two-minute pitches, engineers introduced themselves and their work, shared insights into their daily professional lives and presented current projects. The format thrives on the exchange that follows: during the apéro, students and engineers engage in conversation, ask questions and create moments where new fascinations and interests emerge.

“The Railway Talent Hub offers direct insight into the complex world of railways and public transport through its formats. This inspires new talents who can help shape the mobility of the future.”

Christof Kraft, Consultant at PROSE

Where can you get involved concretely?

For every event format, we are looking for an expert who is willing to give an approximately 20-minute presentation on an exciting and current topic from the railway and mobility industry. Please get in touch with us if you would like to contribute.

We are also looking for experts for the “Meet the Engineers” format who are willing to attend the event in person, briefly introduce themselves and engage in conversations with students during the networking apéro afterwards. This requires very little preparation and represents a great opportunity for both companies and students.

“Our cooperation with the Railway Talent Hub greatly enriches our teaching activities. Practice-oriented events provide students with excellent insights into the diverse day-to-day work within the railway industry. These impulses are an important source of inspiration when choosing study specialisations or defining topics for bachelor theses. Such formats build a bridge to practice and noticeably support tomorrow’s specialists in planning their future careers.”

Thomas Sauter-Servaes, Professor Engineering – Mobility at ZHAW School of Engineering

For more information about the Railway Talent Hub, upcoming events or opportunities to get involved, please visit: Your future in the rail industry | Railway Talent Hub

The Railway Talent Hub is an initiative of the Association of Public Transport (VöV) and Swissrail, connecting students in technical degree programmes with member companies, providing insights into the railway industry and offering concrete pathways into professional careers.

Note on the translation: this text was translated using AI and checked by us. If you find any mistakes or something that is not clear, please let us know.