As one of five founding sponsors Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG supports the Technology Centre for Young People (TCJ), also called „GaraGe“ in Leipzig. Moreover, the sports car maker also takes part in this project in a practical manner. In a teaching workshop with a real 911 Turbo, which is equipped in accordance with the state of the art by Porsche, the pupils and students are given the possibility of gaining insights into the current development of automobile technology under the guidance of a member of staff of Porsche. „We want to give young people the opportunity of experiencing the fascination of technology first hand on the vehicle but also on exhibits and get young people interested in the fascinating occupations around the vehicle“, Harro Harmel, head of human resources of the Stuttgart car manufacturer, commented on the occasion of the opening of the technology centre on 20 June 2001. The financial commitment of Porsche in TCJ amounts to approximately half a million Deutschmarks in total.

The TCJ is a service centre comprising different workshops, training areas, offices and a library. At the same time, it sees itself as an active museum where research can not only be carried out but as a place were young people become acquainted with the rules of entrepreneurial activity. Apart from Porsche, Deutsche Ausgleichsbank, Stiftung des Deutschen Maschinen- und Anlagenbaus IMPULS, Sparkasse Leipzig and the Association of German Engineers (VDI) are among the founding sponsors of the institution. In addition, „GaraGe“ is supported by further companies, such as e.g. Siemens AG and the educational publishing house Ernst Klett.

In the Porsche Workshop young people can not only gather first technical experience with the materials from car manufacturing, such as sheet metal or leather, they can also work on the vehicle itself. In this process, the activities can range from replacing a tyre to adjusting the lights and can extend to the removal and dismantling of an engine. Moreover, the boys and girls also learn how to write letters of application. A qualified member of staff of Porsche is always available to answer any questions and give information at the workshop. Harmel: „Some of the boys and girls who are working, learning and experimenting here today, will find an attractive job with a guaranteed future at Porsche one day.“

Porsche has been enthusiastic about the concepts of TCJ right from the outset. The first talks about a possible commitment took place in March 2000. Harmel: „Here, at Karl-Heine-Canal in the heart of the enterprise centre which is so rich in traditions in the old Saxon industrial centre something truly innovative and exciting is being developed which will meet with a positive response far beyond the boundaries of the city of Leipzig. „I am convinced that the business sector will also support such projects financially as well as with ideas in other places. This is due to the fact that Porsche is convinced“, Harmel continues, „that it is not only the state with its schools and universities which holds responsibility for training of qualified staff but also the business community.“

For this reason, Porsche also sees its commitment within TCJ as an important and modern contribution to solving the problem of a lack of young staff in the engineering professions. „Almost all technology- oriented companies in Germany are currently desperately looking for engineers and IT experts. At Porsche alone 100 posts for engineers are still vacant“, Harmel adds. Unless we counteract this trend, Germany as a business site runs the risk of losing its international competitiveness.

With its support for TCJ, however, Porsche also wishes to express its close connection with the production site Leipzig. Harmel: „We do not only want to produce vehicles and create jobs. We want to establish a home for ourselves here and integrate into the social and cultural life of the city in a conscious manner. That is also what we see as our responsibility in terms of social policy.“