More than logistics: Internships at RCG

When people think of rail freight, trains, terminals and logistics are probably the first things that come to mind. But there is much more to the Rail Cargo Group than that: digitalisation, strategy, sales, marketing, communications and many other areas all play an important part. These are also the kinds of teams where interns can gain their first hands-on experience and discover just how much there is to RCG beyond traditional logistics. Laura and Konstantin are two of them.

What brought you to RCG?

Konstantin: I wanted to get a feel for what the day-to-day work of a lawyer is actually like. I had already gained some initial legal experience during my court placement, but apart from that I hadn’t had any professional experience in the legal field. So I wanted to see what working in a larger company is really like and gain some hands-on experience.

Laura: I wanted to get some practical experience in marketing and communications. I came across the internship while browsing job adverts and thought the role sounded really interesting. So when it all worked out, I was obviously very happy.

Coffee, emails, Excel – what does a typical working day look like for you?

Konstantin: I get to the office, start up my computer and check my emails first. After that, it’s on to all sorts of different tasks: Excel spreadsheets, reviewing contracts and plenty more. There’s definitely no shortage of things to do. And at some point, of course, it’s time for a coffee break.

Laura: My day isn’t actually all that different. Laptop open, Teams and emails checked – but then I usually go and get a coffee first. Ideally, I ask around to see who wants to come with me. First things first. After that, there’s a lot of research work and, yes, quite a bit of Excel too.

And what is it like suddenly finding yourself right in the middle of corporate life?

Konstantin: Especially in subsidiary management, it was quite challenging at first to get a general overview of RCG and its various subsidiaries. And when everyone starts throwing around abbreviations in a regular team meeting, you have to find your feet first. By now, though, I feel like I’ve gained a really good overview. It’s interesting to see how the different processes work and how people collaborate.

Laura: I even thought the term “jour fixe” was kind of cool. Being able to say, “I’ve got my jour fixe now,” somehow makes you feel very grown-up. I also found it really interesting to see how people work together as a team. Even though RCG is such a large group, everyone treats each other as equals. That makes the atmosphere really pleasant.

Was there a real “Wow, I’m learning so much right now” moment?

Laura: My highlight was our most recent meeting, where we discussed a marketing focus for the autumn. I genuinely remember thinking, wow, I’m learning so much right now. Suddenly, lots of marketing terms were coming up that I already knew from university, while at the same time there was so much new information to take in. I was taking notes constantly. What I find especially valuable is working with colleagues who have such a wealth of knowledge – there’s so much you can learn from them.

Konstantin: For me, it was a training session on competition law. It’s an area I’m really interested in, and afterwards I had the chance to talk to the colleague who led the session. You can really tell when someone is passionate about a subject and knows it inside out. I really enjoyed that. More generally, I like being able to get involved in different tasks and build up a broader understanding of the work.

What should every RCG intern know?

Laura: At the beginning, write down as much as you can and be a bit like a sponge: just soak everything up. There’s a lot of new information, terminology and new processes at first. But after a week or two, you really notice that things start to become much easier.

Konstantin: Definitely go for lunch with your colleagues. Getting to know people on a personal level makes it much easier to settle in. You talk about work, but also about life outside work. In our Legal department, we usually have lunch together, which creates a really friendly and close-knit atmosphere.

Could you be next? 

Marketing, Legal, Strategy, Sales, Innovation or Performance Management: at RCG, there are plenty of opportunities to discover rail freight from a perspective you might not immediately expect.

Want to gain practical experience and get a taste of life at RCG? Then keep an eye on the ÖBB careers page for our latest internship opportunities – and perhaps next time, you’ll be the one sitting in Laura’s or Konstantin’s seat.