Forum Train Europe is proud to support young professionals as they take their first steps in the railway sector. Ramun Seglias was the first trainee to complete the combined traineeship between CD Cargo and Forum Train Europe. We sat down with him at the end of his traineeship and asked him about his experience. Please read the full interview below.
Could you briefly introduce yourself and tell us what brought you to Forum Train Europe?
My name is Ramun Seglias and I recently completed a master’s degree in European policy at the University of Amsterdam. Throughout my studies, I developed a strong interest in European governance, policymaking and the challenges of coordinating interests across different countries and institutions. At the same time, I have always had a personal passion for railways and rail transport.
This combination naturally led me towards the railway sector, and the joint traineeship with ČD Cargo and Forum Train Europe therefore felt like the perfect next step, allowing me to combine my academic interests in European affairs with my personal passion for railways.
You were the first participant in FTE's joint traineeship programme with ČD Cargo. What attracted you to this unique opportunity, and how did the two experiences complement each other?
What attracted me most was the opportunity to experience the railway sector from two very different perspectives. Prior to the traineeship, my understanding of the sector was largely academic and focused on the European level. I had studied governance, policy and coordination challenges, but I lacked a detailed understanding of how railways operate day to day.
My time at ČD Cargo changed that. Being able to work alongside operational departments and see railway operations in practice gave me a completely new perspective. It helped me understand the realities behind many of the policy discussions taking place at European level.
When I later was more involved at FTE, I was able to view European railway cooperation through this new lens. I better understood the practical implications of many discussions and could connect abstract policy debates with operational realities. That combination made the experience particularly rewarding and valuable for me.
Looking back, which projects or responsibilities at FTE did you find the most interesting or rewarding?
What I appreciated most was the diversity of the work. There was a great balance between policy-related, organisational and coordination tasks, which meant there was always something new to learn.
I enjoyed contributing to a wide range of activities, from stakeholder coordination and preparing documents to attending meetings and supporting various projects. If I had to highlight one particular experience, it would be helping to organise the FTE Plenary Assembly. Being able to contribute to such an important event for the association, and a historic one at that, was a real honour and one of the highlights of my traineeship.
During your traineeship, you had the opportunity to work with railway undertakings from across Europe. What did this teach you about cooperation and coordination in the European railway sector?
The main thing I take away from this experience is that there is a genuine desire across the sector to push rail forward and tackle European-level challenges together.
Very often, discussions about the railway sector focus on the difficulties we face. Those challenges are certainly real and significant. However, what impressed me throughout my time at FTE was the willingness of people across the industry to engage constructively and look for solutions.
I leave the traineeship with a strong sense of optimism. The challenges ahead are substantial, but so is the commitment within the sector to address them.
Your master’s thesis focused on European rail governance and coordination. Did your practical experience at FTE confirm or challenge the conclusions you reached in your academic research?
In some ways it confirmed my conclusions and in others it challenged them.
One of the key arguments of my thesis was that voluntary cooperation alone is often not sufficient to achieve the level of harmonisation required across Europe. I still believe there is a lot of truth in that conclusion.
At the same time, my experience at FTE exposed me to approaches that I had not fully considered during my research. One example is the approach being taken under the Capacity Regulation, where common frameworks are developed at the European level, but infrastructure managers are expected to follow them under a “comply or explain” principle. This creates a middle ground between purely voluntary cooperation and fully binding legislation.
Seeing these discussions from within the sector helped me appreciate the nuances involved in finding practical and politically realistic solutions.
As the first trainee in this joint programme, what do you see as the main advantages of combining the perspective of an international railway association with that of a railway undertaking?
Working exclusively at the European level can sometimes be quite abstract and removed from the realities of operating trains and serving customers. I think there is always a risk of becoming disconnected from the people and organisations that are ultimately affected by policy and coordination efforts.
The joint traineeship helped bridge that gap. Spending time at a railway undertaking allowed me to understand the everyday realities, constraints and priorities that railway companies face. Returning to FTE afterwards meant I could better appreciate why certain topics mattered and how European initiatives ultimately affect railway undertakings.
For me, that combination was extremely valuable. After all, the purpose of many of these European initiatives is to help railway undertakings thrive and make rail more attractive. It is therefore essential not to lose sight of their perspective.
Finally, what are your plans after the traineeship, and what advice would you give to future FTE trainees?
I hope to remain within the railway sector and am currently looking for a position where I can continue building on the experience I gained during the traineeship. The traineeship has only strengthened my interest in rail and confirmed that this is a field in which I would like to develop my career over the long term.
My advice to future trainees would be simple: jump in with both feet and say yes to as many opportunities as possible. There will certainly be moments when a lot is happening at once, but that is also where you learn the most.
Take advantage of every meeting, project and conversation you can. The experience will contribute to your professional development, but also to your personal growth. Looking back, I can confidently say that every challenge and opportunity throughout the traineeship was worth it. Finally, I would also like to thank Forum Train Europe, ČD Cargo, and everyone I had the pleasure of working with during the past six months. I was fortunate to meet many dedicated and knowledgeable people who were always willing to share their expertise and help me learn. The openness and support I encountered throughout the traineeship was instrumental in making it such a valuable experience.
I would especially like to thank Sebastian, Radek and Lukas. From the very beginning, they made me feel welcome and supported me throughout the entire traineeship. Their guidance, patience and willingness to share their knowledge were invaluable, and I am very grateful for the time and effort they invested in helping me develop both professionally and personally.