Markus Hertnagel

After graduating from high school, I decided to study mechatronics at the University of Applied Sciences. After 8 years in the printing and photovoltaic industry, most recently as an operations manager in production, the time had come for a change. I longed for a job where I could be on the road, work outdoors a lot and meet many interesting people. This is why I made an unsolicited application to Rhomberg Bahntechnik and was successful.

I coordinate the work on various tunnel construction sites and am in constant contact with subcontractors, employees, planners and, of course, the clients. The greatest challenge is certainly to align the interests of the various stakeholders.

Right from my first tunnel construction site on the Simplon Tunnel, I needed coordination skills as a junior site manager. During an eight-week track closure, all the work - the installation of 20 kilometres of handrail and LV systems - had to be completed on schedule. The biggest challenge was the complexity of the task and the associated logistics of construction trains, materials and people. Each project poses different, often logistical, challenges. I wouldn't want to miss the learning effects and experiences I make on these large construction sites.

There are often over 30 people working on my construction sites - all of them with different characters. I find it incredibly exciting and motivating to be able to respond to these different personalities during my work. What I appreciate about my job is the freedom that the business gives me, for example when it comes to making my own decisions. Furthermore, I can and shall take responsibility. I can work extremely flexibly and freely in my field of activity. There is a lot of trust in the employees, which is very positive. After work, I sometimes go for a bike ride with my colleagues or we go for a jog.

As a synergy-realiser, I keep an overview of the processes on the construction site. I coordinate the various duties and am in constant exchange with all parties involved. This ensures that all processes run smoothly and can be optimised through learning effects.