ERA looks for newly-qualified graduates who are willing to make a contribution to the everyday work of the Agency.

A standard traineeship lasts 10 months, starting on the 1st of September. Around 6 traineeships are available every year.

The call for applications starts 4 months before the start of the traineeship, and remains open for a month.

Who can apply?

The standard traineeship programme is open to anyone who meets the following requirements:

• Have a university degree (minimum 3 years of study);
• Have a very good knowledge of English language;
• Have a very good knowledge of a second language - for EU nationals, this must be an EU official language.

Traineeships will be offered in priority to applicants who have not already been a trainee in a European institution or body.

What do we offer?

At ERA we play an important role in the development of the Single European Railway Area (SERA), and invite you to help us achieving our ambitious goals. You will participate in real projects related to your specific background, along with the best professionals and within a welcoming and stimulating work environment.

A Mentor will guide you during your stay. Depending on your competences, you may also work in various fields not directly linked to railways, such as human resources, budget/finance, IT, communication, engineering, legal.

You will receive a monthly grant of ca. €1,299.89 to which applies the weighting factor of France, reimbursement of travel expenses, paid leaves and training opportunities reserved for the staff.

Our offices are sited in Valenciennes, in the north of France, only one hour away from Brussels and two hours from Paris. Both the local university and ERA Club organise social and sport activities and gatherings.

How to apply?

Next session will start on 1st of September 2020. When the Call for applications is open, you need to fill in the application form, attach the supporting documents as described in the application form and submit it online.

Please read carefully all the documents below before applying, particularly the rules governing traineeships at ERA, which explain the application procedure in detail.

No traineeship opportunities are avilable at the moment. 

What do we expect from you?

We expect of our trainees:

• A contribution to ERA’s everyday tasks with a fresh point of view;
• A proactive attitude and eagerness to learn and have a fruitful cooperation.

Trainees must have health coverage, whether provided by their countries’ healthcare systems, or private; we rely on you to organise your own health insurance during your stay with us.

Contact us for more information

ERA strives towards having an even distribution of male and female trainees.

The student traineeship is meant to give high school and university students the opportunity to practice their skills in a real work environment as a part of their studies. It may last up to two months.

Applications can be submitted at any time.

Who can apply?

The student traineeship program is open to students having an obligation to undergo a period of traineeship in their curricula. It is necessary to be enrolled in a student program throughout its entire duration.

Due to the high number of applications, not all requests can be accommodated.

What do we offer?

A traineeship at ERA is a unique opportunity to experience a truly international work environment. You will participate in the daily tasks of an EU agency and test your competences on the field.

Student trainees are not entitled for any grant or reimbursement whatsoever.

How to apply?

To apply, fill in and submit by e-mail the application form, appending your Curriculum Vitae in a Europass format and a motivation letter stating the aim, the duration and the objectives of the traineeship. The use of English or French is strongly encouraged to facilitate the process.

If you don’t submit the complete set of documents as indicated above, your application will be automatically excluded and not taken into consideration. In this case, no further communication from the Agency will follow.

We strongly encourage to send your application well in advance of your proposed start date, in order to allow enough time for our administrative procedure as well as for you to get all necessary documentation to submit prior to your start date.

A specific agreement between the school/university responsible for the trainee, the trainee him– or herself and ERA will have to be prepared and signed in order to finalise the procedure. This document will state the objective(s) and the duration of the traineeship, will contain the contact details of the school/university, will declare that the trainee has a proper health insurance coverage and that the traineeship is unpaid.

What do we expect from you?

Although no language skill is formally required, keep in mind that the working language at ERA is English, while most of the staff speak French as well. We therefore strongly recommend a sufficient knowledge of at least one of the two languages.

Contact us for more information

ERA strives towards having an even distribution of male and female trainees.