Education – Our Heartfelt Commitment to Germany as the Location of the Future
Vector has been a professional partner in the development of automotive software for over 30 years. Our drive: a passion for technology. And this passion gives rise to new ideas and impulses that enable us to work every day on the vibrant technologies of tomorrow.
We want to offer opportunities to young people in particular to discover their fascination with technology through the STEM subject areas. We are therefore committed to promoting young talent in teaching and research in a variety of ways. We can then reach all educational groups at their different stages of life and development. Our commitment starts with young children and goes all the way through to support for those establishing new companies and start-ups. Together with our partners, we want to awaken and strengthen the entrepreneurial spirit of newcomers to the mathematical and scientific disciplines. We are thus making a valuable contribution to Germany’s future as a location for technology.
Wissensfabrik – Inspiring Children for Technology and Computer Science
In the Wissensfabrik – Unternehmen für Deutschland e.V. (Knowledge Factory – Companies for Germany Association), companies and foundations have come together to support educational projects, start-ups and young entrepreneurs. The aim is to make future generations fit for global competition and to secure Germany’s innovative strength in the long term.
Vector has been involved since 2012 and puts the idea of the Wissensfabrik into practice. To date, we have successfully concluded more than 30 educational partnerships with schools at our sites. Through the projects “KiTec – Children discover technology”, “Power4School – Students discover energy” and “IT2School – Discovering IT Together”, children and young people gain extensive experience in the fields of technology and IT. In addition, experienced Vector employees support numerous start-ups as part of the WECONOMY program.
In all these projects, we get young people excited about technology, science and business. In doing so, we also encourage interaction between start-ups and established companies.
Further Commitment in the School Sector
In addition to its activities through the Knowledge Factory, Vector is involved in numerous initiatives and support projects to inspire young people in STEM subjects at school. We offer students exciting insights into everyday working life at Vector with our excursions.
During our Inventors and Researchers Day, for example, kindergarten and school children discover all aspects of communication in an automobile. The children can see for themselves how a car door can be controlled with our CANoe test and simulation tool.
During Baden-Württemberg Code Week, young people take part in workshops on various technical topics once a year. With Vector’s support, they are able to build and program their own little robot. And students also gain exciting insights into information technology topics such as app development and encryption through support in computer science classes and computer science clubs.
Career Guidance – the First Steps Are Crucial
Taster Internships: Immersion in the Professional World
Student internships help with career guidance. This gives schoolchildren a chance to get their first taste of a career at Vector and, above all, to explore the profession of software developer at Vector. Information on content and application options can be found here.
Girls'Day: A Day Full Of Girl Power
Girls'Day is a project of the Kompetenzzentrum Technik-Diversity-Chancengleichheit e. V. (Competence Center for Technology-Diversity-Equal Opportunities).
Vector has been involved in this day, which is all about the future for female students, since 2003. Girls from grade 8 learn about the individual development areas of Vector in theory and practice. This is also an ideal opportunity to find out more about Vector as a potential employer.
University Support – the Fine Art of Practical Study
Scholarships: Practical and Future-Oriented
Vector sees itself as a companion to students on their way to a successful degree, providing valuable support and exciting, hands-on experience in a global IT company. That’s why we support young talent with above-average performance in technical fields with a cooperation scholarship.
In addition to the financial incentive, scholarship recipients benefit above all from the personal support provided by experienced mentors from the relevant Vector department – including advice on planning their studies and future and a possible start to their career at Vector. In addition, regular exchange meetings, in-house training courses and exclusive events are open to the scholarship recipients. These are opportunities to get to know the other scholarship holders and also learn more about working at Vector, future mobility and development trends. In addition, student traineeships, internships, final dissertation topics and vacation jobs are open to scholarship holders. Find out more here.
Vector has developed individual scholarship programs with selected universities. Find out more about our currently cooperation partners here.
In addition, Vector supports nearly 80 scholarship holders from various departments at 12 universities as part of the Deutschlandstipendium program.
Formula Student – Record-Breaking Potential
Some 3,500 students, 119 teams and 25 nations competed in 2019: in what is probably the largest student design competition, Formula Student Germany, teams compete in three classes – with combustion engines, electric drives and autonomous vehicles. Since 2009 Vector has been supporting many of the teams with analytical, test and measurement data evaluation tools, network interfaces, data loggers and technical expertise. The aim: to support the high level of student engagement through hands-on training. Formula Student calls for interdisciplinary collaboration and agile product development processes – important skills and expertise that will help students in their professional lives. You will find a list of the teams currently participating in Formula Student here.
Even More Higher Education Funding
Transferring Knowledge and Experiencing Knowledge at First Hand
Colleges and universities need up-to-date software and hardware for modern knowledge transfer. Vector therefore supports universities with an educational program that has a technological focus related to Vector’s range of products and services. In addition, Vector employees pass on their expertise and practical knowledge to students on programs in computer science and electrical engineering through teaching assignments and guest lectures. In turn, they can experience the product development process at Vector live in an excursion to our sites.
Setting Up a Business
Supporting Start-ups From the Very Beginning
New, highly committed start-up companies have one thing in common: impressive innovative strength. Vector therefore promotes and supports new companies in their first steps towards economic independence right from the start with expertise, experience and excellent industry knowledge.
The Gründermotor Master Class: Working Together for Young Stars
The Gründermotor initiative is a decentralized innovation platform for Baden-Württemberg that aims to create the digital SMEs of tomorrow today. One component of the format is the Master Class, in which start-ups from the university and college sector in Baden-Württemberg are developed to the point where they can attract investment and helped to create a network involving established companies.
Vector is heavily involved in the Gründermotor Master Class: here, the participating start-ups develop their business ideas within four months and validate them on the market. During this time, the teams involved are supported by experienced mentors and contact is made with inspiring entrepreneurs. The Master Class was set up by Pioniergeist GmbH and Vector Informatik and is supported by many well-known partners. These include companies, associations, educational institutions, start-up initiatives and investment companies from all over Baden-Württemberg.
Turning Start-up Stories Into Success Stories
Vector also supports the WECONOMY start-up initiative. This is where innovative, technology-oriented start-ups meet established companies. The result is a business network with valuable contacts, exclusive expertise and sustainable impulses.
Accompanying Growth
Vector founded its venture capital company to provide targeted and individual support to new start-up companies with potential for digital solutions in the technical environment. In addition to financial support, entrepreneurs benefit from an extensive transfer of knowledge and a wide-ranging infrastructure. Find out more here.