20 years of apprenticeship at RCG - Michael Sordo looks back on his apprenticeship

What training did you do at RCG? 

I completed an apprenticeship as a forwarding merchant and then a year as a forwarding logistics specialist.

What makes an apprenticeship at RCG special? 

I was convinced by the internationality and the variety of tasks. Especially the rotation to different apprenticeship positions brings added value, both for the company and the apprentice.

What were your reasons for doing your apprenticeship at RCG?  

The size of the ÖBB Group and the associated opportunities to build up a wide-ranging knowledge were decisive.

What has your professional career looked like at RCG so far? 

During my apprenticeship I could first gain experience in the former RCA Contract Logistics in Innsbruck and Wörgl, then in the "Service Delivery Regions Austria" and "Rail Cargo Logistics - Austria" Sales. Afterwards I worked for six months in the Sales Wood department of the Innsbruck sales office.

After the basic military service I wanted to get to know the international world of RCG. So I decided to work in Frankfurt am Main at the at that time newly founded Rail Cargo Logistics - Germany. During the RCA apprentice training during the European Weeks I was able to gain first practical insights into the supervision and training of apprentices.

After four exciting and instructive years in Germany, I returned to my home town of Innsbruck to work for Rail Cargo Logistics - Austria, where I work in the STEA business unit as a sales representative for regional customers in western Austria. Since July 2019, I have been an apprentice trainer in the sales department myself and am now able to accompany young people during their training.

What advice would you give to apprenticeship beginners at RCG?  

If you are committed and curious, you can get even more out of your apprenticeship!

What do you think the apprenticeship at RCG will look like in 20 years? 

I think that not only the apprenticeship training will change, but also the professional profile of the forwarding agent. Many processes will change due to digitalization and on the one hand reduce our workload and on the other hand create new activities. This will also have an impact on traditional tasks.

With regard to apprenticeships at RCG, I believe that both the recruiting and the training of young people will change. I am thinking of a third educational pillar in addition to professional practice and vocational school - for example, cross-company training with partners, offers for learning new foreign languages (keyword Eurasia), or specific internal training programs. There is also an even deeper education in the railroad industry, with jobs at today's ÖBB Production and divisions of ÖBB Infrastructure.

Describe the apprenticeship at RCG in one sentence:  

A very comprehensive training with a future!

Find more information about our apprenticeships on our website (German only).