Minister of National Education Mahmut Özer noted that they are trying to strengthen vocational education within the framework of education, employment and production in order to train the qualified workforce needed by the sector. Stating that with the amendment made in the Vocational Education Law No. 3308 on 25 December 2021, an important regulation regarding the students enrolled in vocational education centers. Minister Özer said that a very attractive mechanism was created by removing the financial burden that fell on the employer.

 

Emphasizing that the amount paid by businesses to students attending vocational training centers is included as part of the government support, Özer said that with the new regulation, students from 9th to 11th grade registered at the vocational education centers receive 2 thousand 552 liras payment and students from 12th grade receive 4 thousand 253 liras per month. Underlining that all of these fees are paid by the state, Özer stressed that all students are also insured against work accidents and occupational diseases. Noting that the employment rate of graduates is also quite high with 88 percent, Özer stated that the fact that there is no age restriction for enrolling in these centers also provides great advantage.

 

Stating that after the legal regulation, there was a very huge demand for the vocational training center from both employers and students, Özer said that while the number of apprentices and journeymen in vocational training centers was around 160 thousand, the number of students enrolled in the vocational training center program increased by 784 percent corresponding 1 million 405.

 

Drawing attention to the number of women enrolled in vocational education centers, Minister Özer said that the number of female students enrolled in vocational education centers was 27 thousand before the legal regulation, it has exceeded 449 thousand with an increase of 1559 percent. Adding that the number of male students was around 132 thousand, Özer noted that it has exceeded 955 thousand with 624 percent increase as of today. 

 

Talking about the most preferred areas in the vocational training center program, Özer said that the number of students in the field of marketing and retail increased to 218 thousand 368 with 37 thousand 420 percent increase. Özer stated that the number of students in the field of food and beverage services increased by 876 percent and reached 128 thousand 126 and the number of students in the field of fashion design technologies reached 114 thousand 809 with an increase of 1914 percent.         

 

Emphasizing that they have opened vocational training centers in all of the organized industrial zones in 81 provinces, Minister Özer also drew attention to the age groups of the students enrolled in these centers. Noting that 295 thousand 189  out of 1 million 405 thousand 663 students enrolled in the vocational education centers are under 18 years old, Özer stated that 1 million 110 thousand 474 students are above 19 years old.