Wanted: Specialist in projects and management support at Zentralbahn. “When I saw the job advertisement, I thought: this is exactly what I'm looking for,” recalls Samira Blumenthal. Two factors were decisive in her decision to apply for the position. "On the one hand, I no longer wanted to work in the insurance industry, and on the other, I was looking for a job with more meaning. Zentralbahn is the perfect fit for me because it's a completely different industry and my work allows me to connect people on different levels, which is very meaningful," Samira Blumenthal continues. After she submitted her application, everything happened very quickly. Following the initial response, she had the job within a week—including preliminary interviews and a trial period. “It's really good for me to do something completely different. But it's very challenging,” the 32-year-old admits openly. So how did she manage to familiarize herself with the world of railways in order to reach her potential? The answer can be found in her everyday working life and on the back of her horse Karakusch.

Safe, punctual, and clean

In fall 2023, Samira Blumenthal started as a project and management support specialist in the Production and Rolling Stock department—the largest department at Zentralbahn with around 220 employees. A total of around 400 people work for Zentralbahn. The Production and Rolling Stock department – known as PR for short – ensures that Zentralbahn trains run on time, are clean and safe. This ranges from the procurement of rolling stock to maintenance and cleaning to the deployment planning of trains and train personnel. “Our department has to function properly, otherwise trains won't run or won't run to the usual high standard,” says Samira Blumenthal, summing up the situation. She admits that this creates a certain amount of pressure: “Our guests rely on trains running according to schedule, being safe, punctual, and clean. We must and want to be able to offer this every day.” To ensure this happens, Samira Blumenthal works behind the scenes, putting her organizational and communication skills to good use. As a management assistant, she coordinates appointments, plans events, and takes minutes. She also works on various projects, including a digitization project where she leads a PR technology team in a matrix organization. In doing so, she benefits from her experience with previous employers. “My work has a direct benefit for my colleagues and our customers, which motivates me greatly.”

A family atmosphere

Her responsibilities are varied and the work is demanding. As a career changer, she initially struggled with the many technical terms and specific topics related to the railway industry. However, the culture at Zentralbahn helped her settle in and continues to support her today, as Samira Blumenthal explains: "There is a family atmosphere and a solution-oriented approach. People help each other and take the time to explain things. If I have any questions, even cross-departmental ones, I always get a quick and helpful answer." The high level of leadership and technical expertise of her superiors and colleagues is equally valuable. “This helps me do my job because I'm not that deeply involved in the subject matter. I can rely 100% on my colleagues for technical support. That gives me a great deal of confidence.”

Encouraging others

Samira Blumenthal enjoys taking on new challenges. So it's good to have a constant in her life. Or, as she calls it, “my anchor.” That anchor is her horse Karakusch, which means “black bird” in Turkish. “He's black and has a bird – or, to put it nicely, a strong character,” says Samira Blumenthal with a laugh. She has known him for 21 years and spends time with him every day. Seeing him and riding him helps her to switch off, recharge her batteries and make decisions, among other things. A year ago, when she was looking for a new job, Karakusch was her anchor, her listener, her calming influence. She knew then that she wanted to make a change. She did so and has not regretted it for a second. Her advice to anyone who is dissatisfied with their job: “Have the courage to change your life, break out of familiar structures, and discover a new passion. It's not easy, but it's worth it.”

Samira Blumenthal

Picture: Urs Stettler

Has been working as a project and management support specialist in the Production and Rolling Stock department at Zentralbahn since fall 2023. A trained social insurance specialist with a federal certificate and further training in business administration, she worked in various areas at Suva for seven years after completing her apprenticeship. She then worked for almost three years as a team leader at a large Swiss health insurance company. She likes to spend her free time with her horse and in nature.

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Paper edition of the magazine “hin und weg” – also available as a subscription.

This is an article from the magazine “hin und weg”. You can find the printed version at the train stations in Engelberg, Sarnen, Stans and Meiringen, in all Travel Centres, as well as on trains. We will also be happy to send the magazine to your home address. Send an e-mail to hello@zentralbahn.ch with the subject “Subscribe to hin und weg magazine” and include your postal address in the body text of the message.