The UIC TALENT project (Global network of railway talents) has been set up to tackle the various challenges that the railway industry is facing (ageing population, image problem, war for talents, loss of corporate knowledge, skills mismatches, knowledge transfer, ...) and support its members in their national approaches and efforts for improving the image of the railway industry, as well as attracting and retaining the best talents.
According to analysis of the 170 interviewees of the wide-scale stakeholder survey launched at the beginning of the project, the top three priorities for railways are:
Ensuring that knowledge is passed on to the next generation
Developing workforce skills/capabilities
Attracting and Retaining valued talent
The project is based on a set of complementary activities targeted at the development of junior and senior TALENTS.
(1) A comprehensive Management Development Programme for young and senior TALENTS Besides SIAFI and EMBA, the following specialised training modules are planned for 2015: Contract Management Executive training, Asset Management, Multimodal & Logistics.
(2) A strong and sustainable cooperation with academia worldwide. One important activity of the TALENT project has been to set up “Rail Uni Net”, a global network of universities specialising in rail education. With members from all over the world, activities of the network have started including on-line meetings, joint programmes, proposals and projects. In Europe, the network also supports the 4th railway package for development of a skilful work force for a vibrant rail sector and is determined to promote innovation in rail education and training around the world. Rail Uni Net is also actively involved in the development of the UIC TALENT Management Development Programme.
(3) The Development of an international & sustainable network of railway talents
The online TALENT platform (www.railtalent.org) launched at the end of 2014 to support the activities of the Global Network of Railway Talents should become a powerful tool to support the projects’ activities and objectives.
How can you contribute?
You can share news, publications, pictures and events
You can share online resources (e-learning modules, portal, websites, toolbox, game, videos, …) http://www.railtalent.org/online-resources
You can share good practices
You can share your ideas/proposals about the development of the network
You can launch a discussion/forum on a topic that you would like to share knowledge about
You can share your passion about railways, thus inspiring young people to enter this exciting and challenging industry
Some of you have already started contributing to this challenging project by populating the “Rail Career Sheets” www.railtalent.org/rail-careers
People in Rail via Rail Career Sheets project is about people working in the railway sector who can inspire others to join in.
We are asking rail professionals from academia and industry, who are passionate about railways, a number of questions related to their education and entry routes into the railway sector as well as reasons why they joined the railways and the challenges they see ahead. What is common about our railway men and women presented here is that they are passionate about railways and interested in bringing in new talents.
