SAGASTA took part in the 12th annual Železnice Pardubice Professional Meeting, which traditionally brought together railway experts and students of technical disciplines. What makes the event unique is its strong emphasis on involving the next generation directly in the programme. Through online questions, secondary school and university students had the opportunity to engage in discussions with, among others, Minister of Transport Ivan Bednárik and representatives of leading companies.
Petr Pelech, Chief Operating and Business Officer, and Vít Hoznour, Director of the Bridge, Road and Water Management Structures Division
Modern Technologies and the Benefits of Design Engineering
As an official partner of the conference, we took part both in the exhibition and in the professional programme. Our colleague Emil Špaček, Director of the Railway Structures Division, presented our company and its corporate culture as part of the presentation programme. He also spoke about the modern technologies we use at SAGASTA – from BIM design and new surveying technologies to artificial intelligence. After all, BIM projects will become mandatory from 2027 for all above-threshold public works contracts worth more than CZK 135 million. We therefore have an advantage in this area, as we have been using BIM extensively for many years.
The presentations were followed by a discussion featuring Emil Špaček, together with Vladimír Seidl, CEO of Metroprojekt, and Jiří Holinger, Technical Director of Starmon. When asked about design engineering as a profession, Emil Špaček highlighted one of its major advantages – its complexity:
“You are involved in a project from the initial idea, through obtaining the building permit, all the way to carrying out the author’s supervision.”
This means that designers at our company have the opportunity to gain new knowledge not only in construction but also, for example, in legislation and financing.
Emil Špaček, Director of the Railway Structures Division, SAGASTA
How Can We Motivate the Next Generation of Designers?
Another major topic of the discussion was the long-term shortage of students choosing technical disciplines. “We need to motivate young people to study technical fields, as there will always be demand in the market for qualified professionals. Even though artificial intelligence is now emerging, there still needs to be a designer who takes responsibility for the project,” Emil Špaček said. If you are interested in this type of work, get in touch with us.
The 12th annual Železnice Pardubice Professional Meeting was a great opportunity to meet railway experts, both current professionals and those of the future. It was encouraging to see that the next generation is interested in professional discussions and is actively taking part in them. Although the transport sector faces a number of challenges, it is precisely the active engagement of young people that will help move the industry forward.