After joining the RAIL STAFFER project two and a half years ago as part of CESI, it’s been an incredible journey contributing to the future of railway education and skills in Europe.
Last week, we gathered in Brussels L42 Business Center & Workplaces for the RAIL STAFFER final conference, an inspiring event showcasing how collaboration can truly shape an industry.
The project was led by University of Genoa who's guidance and project management were impeccable so a special thank you goes to Angela Di Febbraro, Nicola Sacco and Alice Consilvio.
Over the four-year project period, STAFFER has addressed critical skill gaps in the European 🚞rail sector, creating lasting impact through dedication, partnership, and innovative strategies. High-level representatives from the European Commission, including #DGTransport #DGGrowth and #Employment, and the #ERA, joined us to acknowledge the impressive results achieved:
- 🚄 Sector Skill Strategy: We developed blueprints to guide training in response to evolving industry needs.
- 🤝 New Cooperative Programs: From partnerships across universities and technical colleges to new platforms for joint learning, summer schools, and collaborative training.
- 👩🦰 Mentoring Initiatives: Supporting female engineers and fostering apprentice exchanges to encourage diversity and growth within the sector.
A program which wouldn't have been possible without Tanja Pfaff-Röders who truly led the team and gave everyone involved a great opportunity.
Hopefully most of these initiatives will continue and help the sector thrive through continuous opportunities like establishing a comprehensive network of Centers of Vocational Excellence focused on supporting the railway workforce.
I would like to adress a special thank you to Valérie Poupardin who fostered a great work environment and guided me in this project, it truly was a pleasure working with you.
Through STAFFER, we’ve built a unique cross-border network linking universities, railway companies, technical experts, and EU partners—an alliance that will carry on beyond this project. The momentum we’ve created will drive continued efforts to enhance vocational education quality, integrate advanced technologies, and promote cross-border learning opportunities, making the railway sector resilient and future-ready.
I’m grateful for the connections made, the knowledge shared, and the friendships formed along the way. Thank you to the entire STAFFER team, I look forward to the exciting journey ahead, and hopefully keeping the momentum and work going.
Yes, the railway industry can, and will, continue to thrive!
Luca Rizzetto Khaled Itani Tanja Pfaff-Röders Matthias Rohrmann Pierre Gibbe Barbara Grau @PatricianietoEsteban Arbra Bardhi @Arpaddomjan Eckhard Voss Fabián Figueroa Vito Pagliarisi Vanessa Gnoth Richard Kayser Mirjana Bugarinovic Barbara Grau