A ‘Tourism Workshop’ was organized in Mersin for youth employment

Within the scope of the ‘Empowerment of Mersin’s Youth for the Tourism Sector Project’ (MERTUSEG) implemented by Mersin Metropolitan Municipality to increase the participation of young people in employment, a ‘MERTUSEG Tourism Workshop’ was organized for students benefiting from the project. The MERTUSEG project, implemented in cooperation with the Metropolitan Municipality and the European Union, provided vocational training for young people in the tourism and accommodation sectors for 5 months to facilitate their employment. A total of 45 young people living in Mersin, aged between 18-29, who were not involved in work or education, were provided with vocational training in front office (receptionist), service staff, and housekeeping areas. Students who received both technical and practical training in the field of tourism free of charge for 5 months had the opportunity to reinforce the knowledge they gained during the training process and benefit from the experiences of experts in the field through the workshop held.
The workshop, held at Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Congress and Exhibition Center, was attended by representatives of tourism-related NGOs from different cities and Mersin, hotel managers, academicians, and young people benefiting from the project. In the workshop where expert individuals made presentations, groups were formed with young people to exchange information on different aspects of tourism. During the workshop where leading figures in tourism shared their experiences, young people had the opportunity to ask questions about their curiosities regarding tourism and take confident steps towards employment.
“More than half of the students are employed” Gül Kadem Maya, Coordinator of MERCEK Vocational Training Centers of Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, stated that they provided training in tourism to 45 students within the scope of the MERTUSEG project and organized career days and workshops to guide students towards employment. Maya, mentioning that experts from Istanbul, Sakarya, and Kayseri who are competent in their fields met with students within the scope of the MERTUSEG Tourism Workshop, said, “Today, we shared what young people can contribute in front office, housekeeping, general tourism, and service areas, what their experiences are, and how they can guide children with their experiences.” Providing insights into the content of the workshop, Maya stated, “We planned activities at the tables. We worked on which problems arise in each field, what aspects need to be strengthened, and what questions children need more support with.”
Maya stated that they conducted the MERTUSEG trainings at the MERCEK Hal Branch, mentioning that the trainings lasted for 5 months. She added, “We created practice rooms in the field of tourism, we implemented a hotel room concept for housekeeping. We also set up a 15-computer information technology class for practical training in the front office. We contributed to the training of 45 young people who were neither in education nor employment. Currently, more than half of them are employed. The rest have become sought-after personnel.”
“Such projects should always be carried out and continued” Berke Can Fındıklı, one of the students benefiting from the MERTUSEG trainings and attending the workshop, stated that they had a fulfilling educational experience. He said, “We received vocational training, learned English, and organized technical trips. We had the opportunity to go to Antalya, where we saw businesses and operations.” Fındıklı emphasized that the workshop was very enjoyable and informative, stating, “It went very well thanks to our teachers’ support. A very nice project. They offered us job opportunities. I think such projects should always be carried out and continued.”