Chamber maps out plan to channel young people into workforce

ANKARA  

The Ankara Chamber of Industry (ASO) has prepared a report calling for stronger policies to bring young people who are neither in education nor employment into the economy, warning that one in four young people in Türkiye remains outside both systems.

The report examined the situation of young people classified as NEET, meaning those not in education, employment or training. It said integrating these young people into production is not only a social necessity but also a strategic requirement for Türkiye’s sustainable development, production strength, productivity capacity and competitiveness.

According to the report, Türkiye appears to be among the OECD countries with the highest NEET rates. It said 25.9 percent of young people aged 15 to 29 in Türkiye are neither in education nor in employment. Among young women, the rate rises to 36.5 percent.

The report pointed to a growing need for intermediate staff in manufacturing, particularly in areas such as CNC operation, welding, maintenance and repair and industrial automation technology. However, the report noted that many young people tend to prefer office-based jobs, underlining the importance of expanding vocational training courses and directing young people toward production-oriented fields.

Strengthening the link between education and production, supporting young people’s transition into the labor market and expanding vocational guidance mechanisms were among the main findings highlighted in the report.

The report identified five key policy priorities for addressing the issue. These included target-sensitive policy design, strong institutional coordination, results-oriented monitoring capacity, care and flexible working support for female NEETs and the use of Ankara as a pilot implementation center.

It said Ankara has significant potential to serve as a model city for testing the applicability of NEET policies, citing its industrial infrastructure, university ecosystem, institutional capacity, data production capability and young population profile.

ASO President Seyit Ardıç said young people who remain outside production processes should not be seen as a “lost generation” but as a major potential that can be regained through the right policies.

“While our industry is looking for qualified personnel today, many young people remain outside the labor market. This shows us that the main problem is not only unemployment, but also a skills mismatch,” Ardıç said.