From Karlsruhe, to Tokyo, to Linköping - Meet Jan-Luca, SICK Trainee from the SensorING Program

Having graduated from his master’s in computer science in Germany, Jan-Luca Vettel has been joining the Karlsruhe office of SICK. Over the last year, he has been taking part of the SensorING traineeship program. This program offers university graduates an attractive, broad entry into professional life at SICK. Within 12 months, the graduates pass through 3 to 4 modules in their home location, adjacent departments and abroad. After visiting the office in Tokyo and the headquarter in Waldkirch, Jan-Luca's last stay was in Linköping. We asked him to tell us about his overall experience. 

The machine vision team

Could you introduce yourself briefly?

I’ve studied computer science in Germany, and I did my Master thesis in cooperation with the SICK office in Karlsruhe. My supervisor had come to do a lecture in my university and he worked a lot in robotics – which is also my favorite topic. Thanks to him, I got to work on a project related to robotics for my Master. At the end of my thesis, I had the opportunity to stay. So, I have been an employee since January this year.  

You came to SICK Linköping as part of the SensorING program. What is this program about?

It’s a program for fresh graduates to get them to start working in professional life. You spend one year as a trainee going through three to four modules that each take place at different branches or departments within SICK. It’s an opportunity for recently graduates to get in touch with persons from various relevant departments, and to work on projects together. In my case, I have been able to go to the office in Tokyo, to the headquarter in Waldkirch and now here in Linköping– for twelve weeks each time. Each module has a work-related assignment, yet it is also more generally about getting a sense of how the people are working. The program has been re-starting after being on pause during the pandemic. I am grateful I got to be part of it this year. I hope it continues! 

The SensorING program is an opportunity for recently graduates to get in touch with persons from various relevant departments, and to work on projects together.

Which team have you been joining here in SICK Linköping?

Here, I have been part of the machine vision team. The goal for the entire year of my traineeship was to share a new internal tool developed in Karlsruhe to other countries. So here my main assignment was to incorporate a software that had been developed in Linköping to this new platform.  

How has been your experience here?

I really love the atmosphere here and find that people are so helpful and engaged. It has felt very personal! Even though I have never worked in a startup, I imagine it would feel close to what the culture is like here. I was impressed that people are willing to spend their free time developing SICK-related side project, like the SICK-based interactive game that Fredrik Bennett, Emma Löwbeer and John Stynsberg developed. There is such dedication! Same for the Christmas party, building a whole snow bar, decorating the whole office… The team spirit is so great. I think many people like to brag about their team spirit – but here it feels real.

I really love the atmosphere here and find that people are so helpful and engaged.

What is your best or funniest memory here?

The table tennis tournament was great – even though it didn’t go great for me, I had a lot of fun! The funniest would be the interactive game that I mentioned. We got to play it one evening and I was so blown away. And the Christmas party was so much fun as well! 

What do you are your biggest takeaways from your time here? Has anything been surprising?

I was impressed by how the space contributed to the team spirit. It seems like a small aspect, but the open area of the lounge contributes so much to the atmosphere. People are using it a lot to socialize. The fika tradition, which we do not have in Germany, is contributing a lot as well.

The team spirit is so great. I think many people like to brag about their team spirit – but here it feels real.

Have you been responsible for one fika?

Yes, I had to arrange one! I wanted to contribute something from Germany that could be found here because I couldn’t bake, so I brought syltmunka – it seems like people enjoyed it.

What has been the best about being in Linköping? And maybe one difficult thing?

I really love the nature here, so I went on a few hikes – just walking around is great. It may be not the most exciting city in the world, but it is very cosy. Okay, maybe not in November, when it was so grey and dark! But I visited the cities around as well, like Motala and Norrköping… I really loved Stockholm.  I also went up North to Abisko for a few days and could see the Northern lights! 

What is the next step for you?

After some vacation, I will be going back to Karlsruhe. I will work there as a fulltime member of the platform team. I have worked with them from January to March this year, but because I could only work on smaller assignments that can be finished in twelve weeks, it will be a change now to be a permanent member of the team.  

Anything else you would like to add? 

One important part of this year was to get to meet people inside the company. I am really glad I met the people here because we work on similar project, so I am sure we will have future opportunities to work together again. It is also great to create contacts in case of future troubleshooting. People shared lot of insights in their workflow and what might be helpful to them regarding the internal tool I was meant to share. It was easier to talk to me about suggestions for improvement as I was physically present. Developers usually complain that they can’t get in touch with their customers – so in a sense I got lucky because I got to talk directly to my “customers” – the internal teams who work with this platform.

One last question - what is your favorite Swedish fika?

Kanelbullar... No, kardemmumabullar!

The Sensoring Program participants visiting SICK Linköping in November 2023