An important step was taken towards the future of vocational and technical education in Bursa. The Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of National Education signed a “Cooperation Protocol in Vocational and Technical Education” that will ensure the integration of vocational and technical education with the sector.
The “Joint Committees Meeting”, which brought together 57 professional committees representing BTSO’s 70 thousand members, was held with the participation of National Education Minister Yusuf Tekin. Speaking at the meeting held in the Chamber of Commerce Building, BTSO Board of Directors Chairman İbrahim Burkay said that Bursa is among the most important centers of the Turkish economy. Stating that the city is the most important driving force of Türkiye with the values it produces, Chairman Burkay pointed out that the paradigm shift in the world economy should also be read well. Stating that a completely different period has been entered with the industrial revolution dominated by high technology, where digitalization and artificial intelligence are integrated with production, İbrahim Burkay said, “In this period, not only reading these changes well, but also fulfilling their requirements is one of our most important duties. This is of course possible with qualified human resources. Here, as the business world, our most important transformative power is our Ministry of National Education.”
“We Must Prepare Our Human Resources for the New Economy”
Reminding that they have brought two large vocational and technical education campuses to Bursa as a chamber, President Burkay noted that BTSO has carried out important works in project schools together with 2019 professional committees since 70. Stating that these projects are examples for Türkiye in the field of vocational education, but that they should not be content with these, Burkay said, “We know that in the new period, making data meaningful is as important as collecting data. In this sense, we need to train our human resources in these areas. As Türkiye’s largest chamber of commerce and industry, we see the protocol we have made with our Ministry of National Education as an important step in this direction. I would like to thank our Minister and wish our protocol to be beneficial.”
“A Strategic Model for the MESEM Entrepreneurship Ecosystem”
Stating that Minister Yusuf Tekin has undertaken important work on the subject of Vocational Education Centers (MESEM), İbrahim Burkay said, “80 percent of our entrepreneurs here were raised in the bazaars among tradesmen during their education. Under the leadership of our Minister, an academic dimension was added to this with MESEM. This is also a great project for Turkish entrepreneurship. This model is an indispensable opportunity for Turkey and must definitely be protected.”
Lifelong Education is as Important as Vocational Education for the Business World
Stating that lifelong education has become a necessity for the business world in addition to vocational education, President Burkay said, “In the past, individuals could work for 20-30 years with the education they received. However, today this period has decreased to 2-3 years. The change brought by disruptive innovation has made lifelong education inevitable. We have made significant investments in this area. We have transformed Kirazlıyayla Sanatorium in Uludağ, one of the most valuable works of the Republic period, into a lifelong education center for the business world as Bursa Business School.”
Minister Tekin: “We Broke the Status Quo in Vocational Education”
Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin stated that the status quo will leave Türkiye behind in the changing world order, and emphasized that vocational education in particular has been managed with a protectionist approach for many years. Minister Tekin said, “Project and protocol schools are a milestone for the Ministry of National Education. With this model, we have ensured that education in certain sectors is planned directly with sector representatives. We have also carried out similar transformations in vocational high schools, fine arts and sports high schools. We are making vocational high schools more attractive thanks to the sector-integrated education model.”
“We Determine the Curriculum in Vocational Education Together with the Sector”
Tekin, who stated that as a ministry, they share the authority to determine the curriculum of vocational education with sector representatives, said, “For example, if a shoemaking high school is to be opened, the curriculum needs to be prepared together with the Chamber of Shoemakers. We ensure that our teaching staff includes names that stand out with their expertise in the sector. We have taken steps to ensure that students who go to practical training do not have difficulty finding a job. We have legally secured that our students who do internships will be paid between 30% and 50% of the minimum wage. We have also ensured that our students who do internships are insured against occupational diseases and work accidents.”
“We Enrich Our Schools with Cooperation Protocols”
Minister Tekin, who emphasized that the transformation in the field of vocational education should not only take place in schools but also directly in the industry, said, “We are opening schools within industrial facilities. We will continue protocol collaborations to train qualified people in large production centers.” Tekin stated that qualified human resources play a critical role in the economic growth of countries and said, “Developing the skills of our children increases Türkiye’s gross domestic product by at least 2 points. We will all do our part to adapt our country’s children to the rapidly changing world. On this occasion, I would like to thank BTSO President İbrahim Burkay and valuable sector representatives for their collaboration.”
“Training Will Be Shaped According to the Needs of the Business World”
Following the speeches, the Vocational and Technical Education Cooperation Protocol was signed between BTSO and the Ministry of National Education. The protocol, signed by BTSO Board Chairman İbrahim Burkay and Ministry of National Education Vocational and Technical Education General Manager Ali Karagöz, aims to shape education areas according to the current needs of the business world and to prepare students in the best way for the competitive environment of the future.
Within the scope of the protocol, it is planned to create an integrated education model with OIZs, establish industry-supported workshops and laboratories, organize advanced training programs for teachers, provide competence to students in critical areas such as artificial intelligence, robotic systems, cyber security and digital transformation, and provide direct employment opportunities through accelerated vocational training courses, voluntary internship programs and applied training opportunities.
At the meeting, Bursa Labor and Employment Agency Provincial Director Feyzullah Eren Türkmen also made a presentation about the Qualified Workforce Training Cooperation Protocol (NİYEP) implemented in partnership with İŞKUR and TOBB.
