If that support is provided in Sivas, 4,000 new jobs will be created.

Sivas Organized Industrial Zone Industrialists Association (SOSAD) and ESTAŞ Chairman İsmail Timuçin stated that if Sivas 1st Organized Industrial Zone (OSB) is designated as a center of attraction, approximately 4,000 job opportunities will be created.

Ismail Timuçin, President of SOSAD, indicated that the firms in Sivas OSB have an average history of 20-25 years and mainly engage in export-oriented activities. Timuçin expressed that these firms would grow much faster and contribute more significantly to the national economy if they received support as a center of attraction, stating that at least 4,000 new job opportunities could be created as a result.

The SOSAD President also proposed an important solution to address the need for qualified personnel. Timuçin emphasized that the importance of vocational high schools should be increased and the number of these schools should be expanded. He also stressed the necessity of organizing career days for middle school graduates and their families.

“We have not lost our hope”

Timuçin stated that they still have hope for the designation of the 1st Organized Industrial Zone as a Center of Attraction, saying, “Our President has authorized Demirağ Organized Industrial Zone to benefit from center of attraction supports, but unfortunately, so far we cannot benefit from these supports in the 1st Organized Industrial Zone. In fact, we have not lost our hope yet. We have a demand. We believe that center of attraction supports should also be provided to the 1st Organized Industrial Zone, or rather to the organized industrial zones in Sivas, and we expect interest from our President in this matter. Our firms in Sivas 1st Organized Industrial Zone have a history of twenty or twenty-five years and are established firms primarily engaged in exports. If such support is provided to these firms, we stated that they would grow very quickly and make significant contributions to the national economy, and that the number of employees would increase by at least 25 percent. We even committed to this. If center of attraction supports are provided to the 1st Organized Industrial Zone, we can create at least 4,000 new job opportunities. This is still valid,” he said.

“Our firms need qualified personnel”

Touching on the need for qualified personnel, Timuçin said, “Our firms need qualified personnel. To provide these personnel, we need to value vocational high schools. We need to increase the number of these schools. Now we, as Sivas industrialists, say that just like career days are organized for final-year university students, universities promote themselves to high school students. Let’s also organize career programs and promotional programs for middle school graduates and their families in collaboration with the national education. Come and apply to the Vocational Training Centers (MESEM). Because our government has implemented a very good program through the Ministry of National Education. Young people both study and earn a salary. They make money and also graduate with a diploma and are trained very well in their profession. Because generally, if they are in vocational high schools, they receive training in factories for three days. In the schools we call MESEM, if they are studying, they receive training in firms for four days a week and develop themselves. As a firm, we have benefited greatly from these schools, formerly known as apprenticeship schools, and we have had very well-trained personnel. At the point we have reached today, these personnel have made significant contributions.”