Infineon Austria on International Education Day on January 24: Awakening enthusiasm for knowledge

Business & Financial Press

Jan 22, 2024

Villach, January 22, 2024 - Back in 2018, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed January 24 as International Education Day. The purpose: to draw attention to the key role of education in achieving inclusive, equitable and sustainable societies. Infineon Austria and its more than 5,800 employees engage in many activities to promote education and knowledge and to inspire enthusiasm for technology.

 

"Education is not just about pure knowledge - it is about awakening enthusiasm for knowledge and maintaining this joy of learning throughout one's life, because life is learning," says Sabine Herlitschka, CEO of Infineon Technologies Austria AG. "In microelectronics, we are working on solutions for green and highly efficient energy, clean and safe mobility and an intelligent and secure Internet of Things. All of these topics require well-trained and eager-to-learn technical talent. We are therefore doing a lot to get people interested in technology as early as possible. Our educational activities have reached over 100,000 children and young people in Austria over the past 10 years. We have been able to pass on our enthusiasm for technology and show how exciting and relevant technology is for the future. Education does not end with the achievement of a degree: the joy of learning as well as the exchange with others and thus learning together are a source of innovation and personal motivation, especially in a high-tech company like Infineon Austria," says Sabine Herlitschka.

 

On the occasion of Education Day, Infineon Austria provides an overview of the wide range of educational initiatives and shows some of the committed people for whom education plays an important role:

 

Early childhood education: Research and discovery at the International Daycare Center

Why is the sky blue? How do cars fill up with electricity? There are no stupid questions for children, only exciting topics that they want to discover with curiosity. High-quality early childhood education is therefore a solid foundation for the rest of their education. Statistically, children who attended early childhood education facilities perform significantly better in later PISA tests. Early childcare facilities also make a significant contribution to the compatibility of work and family life. For this reason, Infineon founded the first multilingual daycare center in Villach 11 years ago together with the childcare organization Sonnenstrahl. Today, a total of almost 300 childcare places are available at three locations in Villach. The three International Day Care Centers (IDCs) look after children from 30 nations aged between 12 months and 6 years. Research and discovery are on the agenda. Free joint experimentation, weekly forest days, the nature adventure garden and the "Mini Lab" serve as platforms for daily exploration and discovery of the elements of nature and technology. The innovative concept is based on an international orientation, bilingualism and a focus on technology and science, for which the MINT seal of approval was awarded. At the same time, Infineon employees benefit from flexible and longer opening hours and few closing days per year. 

 

Pupils - conveying enthusiasm for STEM

According to the FEEI trade association, there is already a shortage of around 14,000 skilled workers in the electronics and information technology sector in Austria. This is why Infineon is committed to showing young people - especially girls - how exciting and relevant technology is for the future before and during their educational choices. Young people can look forward to attractive professions with a lot of meaningful relevance, for example for tackling the climate and energy transition, but also for developing the healthcare and mobility systems of the future. Girls Day is a fun way for girls of primary school age to discover their talents in the technical field. For over 10 years, young people have been introduced to the world of semiconductors as part of the SEMI High Tech University in collaboration with the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences.

 

Smart Learning school cooperation
 Infineon also cooperates with seven technical colleges (HTLs) in three federal states (Carinthia, Styria and Upper Austria) as part of "Smart Learning Classes" and has reached well over 400 students so far. The project was launched in 2019 at the five Carinthian HTLs (Wolfsberg, Villach, Klagenfurt Mössinger and Lastenstraße and Ferlach). The aim: to combine digital technologies and skills with industrial tasks and prepare young talents for the digital world of work. Infineon also opened a digitalization lab, or DIGI-Lab for short, at the HTL in Wolfsberg in October 2021. In 2022, the concept was also rolled out at the Linz Technikum and HTL BLUME in Graz.

 

Caritas learning cafés - support with learning
 Educational equity is the focus of the cooperation with Caritas. Since 2020, Infineon has been supporting Caritas projects for disadvantaged children and young people living in poverty in Carinthia with its education fund. The focus is on expanding the Caritas learning cafés and is once again endowed with 105,000 euros in 2024. This will support around 130 children in the Caritas learning cafés in Villach, Spittal/Drau, Graz and Mürzzuschlag on their educational path with free homework and learning support from volunteer learning assistants and learning materials for the start of school.

 

Apprenticeship in technology brings career opportunities

Infineon has been active in apprenticeship training for more than 40 years and has trained well over 600 skilled workers. The apprenticeship models have constantly evolved; the dual apprenticeship in electrical/metal technology, the option of a Matura, coding or the apprenticeship and study model are the current apprenticeship models at Infineon. There are around 100 apprentices at Infineon, a quarter of whom are young women. The Infineon Apprentice Campus, which will go into operation at the Villach Technology Park from fall 2024, is another milestone in quality apprenticeship training and will increase the annual intake of apprentices to 40 apprenticeships. www.infineon.com/lehre-austria

 

Students - promoting talent and making it visible

Knowledge knows no borders. The promotion and exchange of knowledge and know-how are indispensable in a knowledge society. Partnerships with universities in Germany and abroad are therefore a central part of Infineon's DNA. Among other things, Infineon is involved in four endowed professorships at the universities of Innsbruck, Klagenfurt and the technical universities of Graz and Vienna, an academic cooperation with the University of Zagreb and supports the "System Test Engineering" master's degree program at the FH Johanneum in Graz.

 

Promoting scientific work
 Infineon attaches particular importance to supporting scientific work and dissertations. As part of a three-year PhD Excellence Program, Infineon Austria offers students a roadmap for their doctoral thesis. In 2023 alone, Infineon supervised and supported 86 dissertations.

 

In order to make female scientific talent in the STEM field more visible, Infineon and ORF will be awarding the " Women's Advancement Award for Digitalization and Innovation" for the second time on 7 March 2024. Young women with an affinity for technology will be given the opportunity to present themselves and their ideas and projects and draw the industry's attention to themselves. Interest in the second edition of the award was also very high with around 70 submissions. Young women submitted their final theses (HTL, university of applied sciences, college or university) on technical issues relating to digitalization and innovation.

 

Infineon training and further education on the job

Infineon attaches great importance to training and further education. A mix of different learning styles enables holistic and continuous development. The diverse offering ranges from technical and methodological expertise, social and leadership skills training and traditional on-site training events to digital learning formats for all career paths and virtual coaching. 14 internal Infineon Academies, 12 high potential programs and over 110,000 training hours underline the importance of continuing education.

 

Using AI as a digital learning aid
AI is also increasingly being used at Infineon for further training and knowledge sharing among employees - with apps and social bots. These so-called "digital help agents" can communicate synchronously with users, shorten the induction period for new employees and support them in their knowledge growth. Users receive the right information at the right time. This strengthens skills and develops the workplaces of the future. In the "AI Hero" program, employees can train to become AI ambassadors and experts and pass on their knowledge.

About Infineon

Infineon Technologies Austria AG is a subsidiary of Infineon Technologies AG, a global semiconductor leader in power systems and IoT. Semiconductors are essential for mastering the energy-related challenges of our time and helping to shape the digital transformation. Infineon's microelectronics drive decarbonization and digitalization and enable groundbreaking solutions for green and efficient energy, clean and safe mobility as well as a smart and secure IoT.


Infineon Austria pools competencies for research and development, production as well as global business responsibility. The head office is in Villach, with further branches in Graz, Klagenfurt, Linz, Innsbruck and Vienna. With 5,886 employees (including around 2,500 in research and development) from 79 nations, the company generated revenue of EUR 5.6 billion in the 2023 fiscal year (ending 30 September). With research expenditure of 672 million euros, Infineon Austria is one of the strongest research companies in Austria.

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IDC Maxpalais

IDC Maxpalais

International Day Care Center (IDC) in Villach: In December 2023, the third IDC location in Villach was officially opened in the MaxPalais. The proven, innovative concept: international orientation, bilingualism and a focus on technology and science. Around 300 childcare places are now available for children aged 12 months to 6 years. Not only does it offer high-quality and loving care, but also flexible and longer opening hours with few closing days per year.

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Smart Learning

Smart Learning

Smart Learning Classes: Infineon is cooperating with seven higher technical colleges (HTLs) in Austria and has established so-called "Smart Learning Classes" there. These combine digital learning and teaching with practical technology. In addition to the five HTLs in Carinthia (Wolfsberg, Villach, Klagenfurt Mössinger and Lastenstraße and Ferlach), the Linz Technikum (LiTec) and the HTL Bulme in Graz are also involved. Over 400 students are thus optimally prepared for the demands of the digital working world.

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Christina Taferner-Laggner

Austria

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