Mickey Avenoso is a recent graduate of The College of New Jersey, majoring in Civil Engineering with a minor in Physics. He started his career at Amtrak as an intern in the Engineering Track Department in Philadelphia in 2017, and was later hired full-time as a Manager Trainee in the June 2018 class. In his spare time Mickey plays ice hockey and loves to travel.
Amtrak Employee Stories: Mickey
Amtrak Employee Stories: Mickey
Mickey Avenoso is a recent graduate of The College of New Jersey, majoring in Civil Engineering with a minor in Physics. He started his career at Amtrak as an intern in the Engineering Track Department in Philadelphia in 2017, and was later hired full-time as a Manager Trainee in the June 2018 class. In his spare time Mickey plays ice hockey and loves to travel.
What interested you in Amtrak?
I was looking for the perfect blend of engineering design experience and field experience. I could not imagine another company giving me a combination that worked so smoothly.
What attracted you to the manager trainee program?
The opportunity. By the time I'm 23 years old, I'm going to be where most other college graduates will be when they're 40. It's an accelerated program that will put me on top of my career, and it'll keep me on top of my game until I retire.
What are some of the highlights of being a manager trainee?
I've met some extremely positive people who seem to be thoroughly enjoying their work every day, and that makes the customers happier.
The places you'll go! Amtrak’s Manager Trainee Program is designed to develop Amtrak’s future leaders.
This competitive and comprehensive program includes the highest quality classroom training, multiple facility visits, extensive hands-on training in the field, cross-functional assignments and rotations, first-hand interactions with Amtrak’s top Executives, and more.
What rotation has been memorable for you thus far?
Aside from engineering, because I had a pretty good understanding of that from my internship, we had some station rotations in Washington Union Station and New York Penn Station. As part of the rotation we learned how to do the jobs of employees that work in the stations: working in the ticket office, the information desk, customer service, and as an usher. We learned the basics first, and then we were tasked to lead them the following week, which was a fantastic transition because we were able to experience hands on how difficult their jobs can be at times. And then we got to also experience how to effectively lead them and ensure that every customer is getting the experience that they deserve.
What is your favorite thing about working for Amtrak?
I love getting to ride the trains for free!
What advice would you give students thinking about a career with Amtrak?
Embrace the opportunities available, and be dedicated to whatever task you're challenged with.
