Exciting Vacations Guaranteed: At Techcamp 2020 and With Family Opportunities for Vectorians
Since 2015 the TechCamp has been a fixed and popular institution in the varied range of opportunities that Vector offers to families. It offers the teenage children of employees the chance to enjoy some exciting discoveries and fascinating opportunities relating to IT and programming during the vacation.
Against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic and the associated uncertainties, a very different approach was taken this year: The Vector TechCamp was held from August 3 to August 14, 2020 for the sixth time in succession – and for the first time in virtual form across our sites. Children of employees from all over Germany were therefore able to get to know one another and make friends. The demand was even higher than in previous years. The maximum number of participants was extended to 60 and an additional second week was organized. The Vector management did everything they could to ensure that the TechCamp was able to take place in the middle of 2020, the year of coronavirus, and happily met the additional costs.
As a very exciting project, the Vector TechCamp inspires young people to become the next well-qualified and enthusiastic generation of employees in technology and informatics. In collaboration with the Tinkertank creative workshop in Ludwigsburg, the teenagers are taught to program in an enjoyable and accessible way. This year the Arduino microcontroller was used, which can be programmed with its own C and C++-based language. The Covid crisis made this more challenging on both sides. Instead of meeting face-to-face, the young coders and their mentors linked up virtually for the first time.
The highlight of this year’s TechCamp was undoubtedly “SmartHome – an upgrade for your room”. As they had spent a lot of time over recent weeks and months on home learning in their own rooms, the topic had a particular resonance for many teenagers. As a result, some very distinctive objects were created, such as arcade machines made from LED strips, unusual game controllers and input devices for computers – along with so-called infinity mirrors, illuminated hats, IoT alarm systems that trigger alarms via chatbot when someone enters your room, galvanized weather stations and underfloor lighting for bunkbeds. The participants were sent an extensive package of technology and construction materials by post in advance. Together with items already present in their own rooms and plenty of creativity, the teenagers were able to develop their smart objects. The TechCamp is a fixed date on the calendar for Vectorians with children. Most of them enjoy it so much that they want to take part again next year and also build long-term friendships with other children of employees.
Maximum flexibility and a good work-life balance for everyone
You can rely on Vector. From regular care arrangements such as a nursery to temporary arrangements such as vacation support – Vectorians with families are more than happy to make regular use of what is on offer. From this year families of employees have been able to take up the opportunity of vacation childcare with themed weeks not just at our headquarters in Stuttgart, but also at the sites in Regensburg and Karlsruhe. In addition, Vector meets part of the vacation care costs for children and young people at all its other German sites. This shows how important a healthy balance between working life and family life is to Vector. Another example of the same thing: the care arrangements are to be extended across the board in future, so that there will also be childcare places for employees’ children outside Stuttgart. Since 2011 employees have been able to register their little ones, aged between six months and three years, with the Stuttgärtchen nursery.
The Vector family-friendly approach
A recent example illustrates how family-friendly Vector is: since Covid and working from home, all Vectorians affected by nursery, kindergarten and school closures have had the right to special paid vacation. For single parents and families in which one parent is a key worker in a medical, care or other critical profession, up to five special vacation days can be claimed per working week. Families in which both parents work can apply for 2.5 special vacation days per working week.