ISO President Bahçıvan: “We Adults Are Responsible for the Unemployment of Graduates”

Bahçıvan emphasized that the lack of planning in education has turned into a significant employment problem, stressing the need for vocational training.

He expressed that incentives for regions like Şırnak and Hakkari should be designed to intrigue industrialists in Istanbul.

The Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO), along with a large delegation of business people, made a significant visit to Şırnak and Hakkari. The goals of this visit included closely examining the investment and employment potential in the region, listening to the problems of local industrialists, facilitating experience sharing among chambers, and finding solutions to youth unemployment.

Addressing Youth Unemployment and Vocational Training

ISO President Erdal Bahçıvan noted that Hakkari and Şırnak have the highest youth population in Turkey. “To address the issues of ‘qualified personnel’ and ‘intermediate staff’ faced by industrialists nationwide, we are extending our collaboration with vocational high schools to Şırnak. Thus, our industry and commerce chambers, along with our national education directorates, will take steps to enhance vocational training for our youth. ISO will share its experience and knowledge. Internship activities will be organized, and we will maintain contact to ensure the proper use of employment in the region. Vocational training is our indispensable element,” he said.

The Result of Unplanned Education is Unemployment

Drawing attention to youth unemployment in the region, Erdal Bahçıvan stated, “The greatest contribution to the development of this region will come from its people. And the only way to achieve this is by correctly planning the future of these young people, meaning correctly shaping their education.”

Highlighting that universities in 81 provinces are sometimes ineffective, Bahçıvan said, “The President of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) has not yet visited Şırnak. I was very surprised to hear this. Here, we see the results of unplanned education. There is a need for employment. We should not blame our young people who are jobless on the streets today. We, the adults, are the ones responsible for this failure. We failed to educate them properly and plan correctly in time. We turned them into jobless graduates in their 20s. We should look for the fault in ourselves, not in those young people.”

Bahçıvan, together with his delegation, also visited the oil fields in Gabar, noting that oil has created significant economic activity in the region and emphasized the importance of peace and security for this.

Local Economic Activities and Employment

Osman Geliş, President of the Şırnak Chamber of Industry and Commerce, who made statements alongside Bahçıvan, highlighted the inadequacy of economic activities in the region. He noted that workers are mostly brought in from other provinces for oil operations and emphasized, “It would be beneficial for all of us if more local young people are employed in these fields.”

Showcasing the Investment Potential of the Region

Osman Geliş explained that every investment step taken in the region would act as an antidote. “The ISO delegation’s visit here today is a great source of happiness for us. We used to expect such visits, but now we are hopeful. We want everyone to see the investment potential of our region. Many sectors can make significant investments here. However, we want special privileges in incentives. With the current incentives, we cannot compete with provinces like Adana and Gaziantep in attracting investments,” he said.

Industrialists’ Positive Outlook on Investments

ISO President Erdal Bahçıvan expressed satisfaction with visiting the region without further delay, mentioning that there are business people in the ISO delegation who are interested in investing in areas such as textiles, agriculture, livestock, and chemicals. Bahçıvan stated, “The incentives given to the region need to be so attractive that they baffle industrialists in Istanbul.”

The business people in the delegation indicated their willingness to invest but highlighted the need to resolve the uncertainties in the region.

Lastly, Bahçıvan pointed out the idle trucks at Habur. He noted that the trucks return empty and said, “We need to find work for these trucks. There is a transportation advantage here. 3,000 trucks could be utilized in this way.”