Employment Programmes

iii) Employment Programmes

The basic problem of the GAP region is unemployment and low income levels. The rate of unemployment is even higher among youth. Thus, the planning and implementation of activities geared to build skills in young people to enhance their employability or chances of starting their business is extremely important.

As a component of the overarching programme, a National Work Practice Programme was launched. The idea is to build a bridge between local youth and local companies and provide practical work training opportunities to unemployed youth in these companies. More specifically, objectives of the programme include the following: Mitigating disparities in skills of labour force participants; preparing youth for professional life; helping young people in their career planning; facilitating the job seeking process of young people and channel better equipped young people to various occupations.

In this context, there were “National Work Practice Meetings” in Gaziantep, Adiyaman, Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir, Batman, Siirt and Mardin from 14 to 21 November 2005. These meetings were organised by local chambers of industry and trade under the leadership of respective Governorates. Representatives of 58 different companies were present at these meetings. So far there are 4 young people in Mardin and 2 in Batman who have started their work as trainees in various companies.

An initiative participated by the GAP Administration, Siirt Governorate, Habitat and Agenda 21 Youth Association and Sancak Arat Denim Textile Company launched in Siirt a vocational training project where trainees are guaranteed employment in the company.

The project envisages the delivery of vocational training to 600 young persons who will then be employed at the plant to be opened in Siirt in April 2006 by the Sancak Textiles Co. The training will take place from May 2006 to December 2007 in groups. Literate persons in the age group 16-30 are eligible for application. Recruitment for employment will start in July 2006 in groups of 100 persons. Applications will be received by the Youth Centre in Siirt. The project also introduces a quota whereby 30 % of new recruits have to be females. The Governorate of Siirt prepared and allocated Evren Community Centre as the venue of training. The GAP Administration procured materials (yarn, cloth, spare parts for machinery, etc.) needed in training and undertook the organisation of applications together with the Sancak Textiles Co. The company gave assurance that 100% of trainees completing their training would be provided jobs at the textile plant.

“e-coaching” is a project introduced under the programme “Strengthening Integrated Regional Development in the GAP and Reducing Socioeconomic Disparities” which is presently implemented through the partnership of GAP-RDA, (UNDP) and Habitat and Agenda 21 Youth Association. In the context of this project there are now 4 trainees at the Mardin Youth and Culture House working on serigraphy.

The “e-coaching” system envisages the recruitment of well-known professionals and university students for giving support and guidance for at least 1 hour a week to young people in the region who want to build vocational skills or further improve in their training or career.

The website www.ekocluk.org was launched to inform, guide and share experience with young people in the region including those presently at schools, graduates, employed or unemployed. Information provided by the website focus on education-training, emerging occupations, career planning, etc.