AREMA Young Professionals Experience 

The AREMA Young Professionals Experience is designed to give three young professional railroaders the opportunity to attend the AREMA 2021 Virtual Conference for FREE.  The Young Professionals Experience will provide a professional, 40 years of age and under the chance to attend the AREMA Conference for the first-time, network and learn with other professionals in the railroad industry.  In addition to Virtual Registration, winners will receive a complimentary 2022 AREMA Membership to continue growth within AREMA.  If you or someone you know could benefit from this opportunity, please share the below information and encourage them to apply. 

AREMA Young Professionals Experience Package Includes:

  • Full Conference Registration to the AREMA 2021 Virtual Conference
  • Complimentary 2022 AREMA Membership

Qualifications to Apply:

  • First time attendee at the AREMA Conference
  • Current full-time employment with a railroad or rail transit agency
  • 40 years of age and under
  • Employed in the railroad industry full time at least three (3) years
  • Complete Application below by August 13, 2021
  • AREMA Membership not required (however you will be required to create a user account online) 

Criteria for Selection:

The Review Committee will select individuals whom they believe are most likely to leverage this learning opportunity and apply the knowledge gained to benefit their careers and organizations.  

Important Dates:

Deadline for Submission is August 13, 2021
Winners will be notified on or about August 24, 2021  

Requirements Once Selected:

  • Provide a headshot of yourself to be included in marketing materials (website, social media, etc.).
  • Must be willing to sign a release form to be featured in Conference promotions. 
  • Complete a post-Conference statement regarding your experience by October 15, 2021.  
"The panels speaking offered valuable insight to opportunities with AREMA as well as provided great advice to early career members in the rail industry such as myself. The technical presentations were very well done and the knowledge and experience shared by the presenters was impressive and exciting for a young engineer eager to learn. AREMA members encouragement of young members to get involved on Committees was also a welcome surprise that I plan to take advantage of. My hat goes off to the AREMA leadership team for putting on such an exceptional conference while still keeping its members safe during these trying times."
~ Zack Johnson, 2020 Young Professional Experience Winner
"The Young Professionals Experience gave me a great opportunity to learn from Industry professionals, early in my own career to best prepare myself for challenges and adversity for years to come. The Young Professionals Experience specifically gave a great view into the minds of experienced railroad professionals, talking about their own experiences and giving great advice about starting our careers in this railroad industry. The knowledge we gained through this young professionals Experience is a great foundation for our future, and has sparked thought processes I would have never otherwise considered. I have found already that there is no replacement for experience, but learning from others who have the experience is a close second and that is the opportunity the AREMA has given us here."
~ Nicholas Strub, 2020 Young Professional Experience Winner 
"A mentor once told me that in order to fully be involved in the railroad community you have to actually attend the AREMA Conference and see it for yourself and he was 100% correct. Attending the Conference gave me the opportunity to meet and connect with so many industry professionals, that have so much experience and want to share their knowledge with interested younger people, and I made sure to soak it all in."
~ Skylar Leach, 2019 Young Professionals Experience Winner
" Attending the AREMA Annual Conference allowed me to network with industry professionals, some of which I knew beforehand and some I had the privilege of meeting for the first time. It is often overlooked how important a face to face conversation is with someone and many I had only ever had an email conversation with."
~ Dave Roberts, 2019 Young Professionals Experience Winner