.jpg)
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Salim Atay, Head of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye Human Resources Office, stated that they are working to ensure that all university students can have the opportunity to do internships in public institutions and said “Hopefully, we want the organization to be successfully implemented and offered this year.”
With the support of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye Human Resources Office, the “Trakya Career Fair” organized by the Trakya Universities Association started at the Balkan Congress Center hosted by Trakya University.
In his speech at the opening ceremony, Atay highlighted that Edirne, a city which has hosted civilizations, also stands out with its respect for art, culture and history. Stating that the career fairs, the first of which was held in Edirne, will be organized as 10 events in Turkey, Atay said, “When I saw the participation of the companies and the enthusiasm in the fair, I said that I was glad that we started in Thrace.”
Referring to the occasional discussions about the decline in quality as the number of universities increases, Atay expressed the following:
“When we were students, we used to say, 'The US has the most universities in the world.' How many? 3,000 now. Where are the most universities in the world? How many in China? 5 thousand. Even while the number of universities in European countries with a population of 1.5-2 million is 40-50, it would be unfair to our 82 million people if we tried to continue with 70 universities only. Yes, we established new universities, built beautiful campuses and dormitories for them. We are now focused on creating initiatives to further develop the talents of these students and enhance their career opportunities. We strongly believe that all of our young people who are qualified for a university education are already talented. You should also believe in yourselves.”
Internship Opportunities in Public Sector
Atay stated that they are continuing their efforts to increase internship opportunities in the public sector and said, “We have received the word from our Minister of Treasury and Finance.” and shared the following information “We are continuing our work to establish the necessary infrastructure." While updates will be covered in the media, details will be more readily available through Yetenek Kapısı (yetenekkapisi.org). We do not think that a Türkiye where internships are compulsory only for engineering students is sufficient for the 21st century. All university students should have access to internships, with their insurance and allowances covered. Adequate financing has been arranged to support this initiative. The goal is to successfully organize and offer these opportunities within the year.”
Atay mentioned that the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye Human Resources Office will soon evaluate the employment status of graduate students, assess the engagement and satisfaction of university staff, and measure student satisfaction with their universities.
The Governor of Edirne Ekrem Canalp said that when choosing a profession it is necessary to read the changes and their dynamics well.
Trakya University Rector Prof. Dr. Erhan Tabakoğlu also stated that they are very proud to host the biggest event of the region. After the speeches, Tabakoğlu presented plaques of appreciation to Atay, Canalp, and others who contributed to the organization.
Atay and his entourage visited the fair, met with company officials, and engaged in conversations with students.
The ceremony was attended by Tekirdağ Governor Aziz Yıldırım, Kırklareli Governor Osman Bilgin, AK Party Edirne Deputy Fatma Aksal, rectors, company representatives, general managers, and students. The two-day fair, where 295 companies will take part, will include panels, job interviews and trainings for those who want to make career planning from informatics to communication, technology to education.