When Erik Haas drives to work in the morning, it takes him just a few minutes to get there. No traffic. No stress. Instead: mountains, the lake, and a workplace many people marvel at enviously. "They often tell us, 'You have such a great job in such a beautiful spot,'" the captain and locomotive engineer says with a laugh. And they're right. Anyone who works between the Schafberg and Lake Wolfgangsee gets to experience, every single day, a setting that most people only know from their vacations.

Training with the SchafbergBahn and WolfgangseeSchifffahrt is demanding and varied. Anyone who wants to become a locomotive engineer or captain needs a degree of technical aptitude, an interest in vehicles, and a willingness to take responsibility. Haas describes the training as an intensive learning process that takes place on the job. New recruits learn from experienced colleagues, each of whom has their own style. "It's just like driving a car," he explains. "Some people drive more dynamically, others more cautiously." The important thing, he says, is to take something away from every stage of training that best suits your own personal style.

Today, the SchafbergBahn operates four modern steam locomotives, four diesel-electric trains, and one diesel railcar. Haas is qualified to operate both the modern steam locomotives as well as the diesel trains. The historic cog steam locomotives, however, require additional certification. Although the historic steam locomotives are especially popular with visitors, his own preference is for modern technology. "I'm definitely on Team Diesel," he admits. He is familiar with every sound, every response, and every characteristic of those engines. Even so, he says he is still a long way from knowing it all. Operating certain historic vessels or additional types of rolling stock requires further training and certification. "That's precisely what I like about working here - you just never stop learning."

So what would Erik Haas say to young people considering a career with Salzburg AG Tourismus GmbH? His answer comes quickly: variety, technology, and a strong sense of community. Anyone who works here doesn’t only have an extraordinary workplace. They’re also part of a close-knit team. After work, colleagues often sit together, go out for a drink, or wind down the day by the lake. "A lot of people envy us for that," Haas says. That sense of togetherness is something special. At the same time, he says, the job requires people who are really open to working with others and as part of a team. "You simply have to be able to work well together." Interest in technology is also a big help, but above all it takes curiosity and a willingness to learn.

Looking towards the future, Erik Haas has one wish above all else: that more young people will find their way to the SchafbergBahn and WolfgangseeSchifffahrt – people with fresh ideas, who want to take responsibility and become part of a company that combines a proud tradition with a modern outlook. After all, that's exactly what won him over ten years ago – and has kept him here ever since.