On 26 September 2023 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., InnoTrans and the DVV Media Group held the first virtual Eurailpress Career Boost, a networking event that brings HR departments and rail industry talents together. The format is simple, but a challenge all the same. Candidates representing engineering, sales & marketing, project management, IT and PR had 90 seconds to introduce themselves to rail industry HR departments via a livestreamed online pitch.

Direct meetings between recruiters and talents followed

The recruiters watched and afterwards were able to request the candidates for meetings in separate breakout rooms. A total of 20 recruiters from five countries from France, Austria, Switzerland, Germany and Canada attended, including from ÖBB, Siemens, Spitzke and Wabtec. 16 talents from seven countries (Italy, Iran, India, Japan, France, Peru and Germany) presented themselves on the virtual stage. By the end of the event the candidates and recruiters had scheduled 50 meetings. “I am very impressed with the qualifications of these highly talented Career Boost candidates from around the world. The format is an efficient, quick and easy way for candidates and recruiters to find the right specialist or employer“, said Kerstin Schulz, director of InnoTrans.

In September 2022, the Eurailpress Career Boost made its live debut at the leading trade fair for transport technology as part of the InnoTrans Campus programme of events – and was a great success. Many talents found a job, among them Poonam Shinde from RHTW Aachen. Following her appearance at the Career Boost, in December she was offered a traineeship as a RAMS engineer with Alstom. Shortly before obtaining her Master’s degree in Transportation and Mobility Engineering she was back for the launch of the virtual Career Boost. “I am looking forward to talking to companies about how my career to date matches their goals and values“, she said.

A female train driver in Italy at 17

The other 15 candidates took part in the event for the first time, including 26 year-old Laura Pantone from Rome. She boasts various academic qualifications, and at 17 was one of Italy’s youngest ever train drivers operating a regional line.

Tobias Patrick Treczoks, aged 27 and an InnoTrans fan, lives in France after growing up in Germany on the North Sea coast, and also has an interesting CV. “I am just completing my Physics Master’s degree and next year will be awaiting new challenges”, he said.

Viewers join the event live from around the world

Holding the event in a virtual format opens up new possibilities and for example let Sota Narikiyo (Japan), Luigi Huamán (Peru) and Jafar Hosseini (Iran) take part. Instead of making the laborious journey, all that was needed was to adjust to a different time zone, which in Luigi Huamán’s case meant getting up at 4 a.m. to join the livestream from Lima. “The virtual Career Boost is an opportunity for lots of talented people from around the world to deliver a pitch simultaneously to many recruiters, something they would otherwise be unable to do. Both the virtual and in-person Career Boost are invaluable for the entire industry and should definitely be held annually“, said Georg Kern, chief editor of Eurailpress and moderator of the event.

The Eurailpress Career Boost will take place again from 24 to 27 September at InnoTrans 2024 in Berlin – live onstage as part of the InnoTrans Campus programme of events.

About InnoTrans

InnoTrans is the world’s leading trade show for transport technology and takes place every two years in Berlin. The five segments at InnoTrans comprise Railway Technology, Railway Infrastructure, Public Transport, Interiors and Tunnel Construction. InnoTrans is organised by Messe Berlin GmbH. In 2022, 2,771 exhibitors from 56 countries exhibited their products and services to 132,319 trade visitors from 137 countries. 128 vehicles and 14 buses were shown on the outdoor display site and Bus Display. The next InnoTrans will take place on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds from 24 to 27 September 2024. For more information: www.innotrans.com