25 year old validation engineer... do I have a shot?

I work in the pharmaceutical industry as a validation engineer. That means, more or less, verifying that equipment and machinery are meeting their required specifications for quality and safety.

I've always wanted to work in the railroad industry, but ended up getting a degree in biology. The opportunity to work in pharmaceuticals presented itself and at the time, I couldn't turn it down.

Fast forward a few years and I've had the chance to work with heavy machinery, HVAC systems, and electronics. I have a strong resume working crazy shifts, and traveling hundreds of miles for work. Now I'm thinking about finally making the leap and applying for the NJ Transit Locomotive Engineer Training Program, or at the very least, applying for an Assistant Conductor or Railcar Inspector position and working my way up.

From the information that I've given you, do you think I might have a shot at getting an interview? If anyone is familiar with the NJ Transit training program, what's it like? Any tips or tricks that could help improve my resume?

You have the same shot as anyone else really, if you want my opinion..

Also my opinion says that it's a bad time to be working for the railroad.. NS has laid off hundreds if not thousands of people that they had hired in the past year, I'm one of them. My terminal hired about 35 guys and non of them are working for NS right now. NS made a "smart move" by hiring on "projections" of work they thought they were going to get that never came. Combine that with the oil market fall off and you'll have 35 guys hired and out of work. While I can't speak for NJT, I did apply as well. Even Amtrak is hurting due to the dirt cheap gas prices. I've been on about half a dozen different trains this year, NEC and LD, and the trains aren't as full as they have been in the past. I rode the LSL and CL a couple of weeks ago. The LSL had plenty of open rooms to the point where they were closing curtains and turing lights off in them to save the HEP load. The CL had Amish a plenty in the Sleepers to which I was stunned. I didn't know that they rode sleepers. In the 2 sleepers, 2 full bedrooms were sold in each car. While many people are loving gas so cheap, I'll be honest.. I hate it.. It basically put me out of work.

I wish you luck with your application at NJT. I can only imagine how many that they received. I applied last night and this afternoon the posting was gone. So I guess I applied at the right time.

I wouldn't go anywhere near freight unless you like gambling. On the other hand I can't remember the last time I've herd of Furloughs on the Pax side (be it Amtrak or Commuter). Always makes me chuckle when I see the do I have a chance posts, if you don't apply then you don't give yourself a chance to begin with.

Thanks for the replies.

I received word on Monday evening that I'm being laid off, along with five other contractor. Going to mail out my application today to NJ Transit as well as apply to some other jobs as well, but I'll definitely be quietly hoping for an interview with NJT

Good luck to you, Acela150! I'm now in the same situation as you, laid off and trying to find work, and the same day as I posted my original message. Funny how the world works like that.

Freight railroads are having to go through change at present. Best advice for those furloughed is to start inquiring at other locations about transferring. I had to move several times to keep working.