Traditional trades face decline as Turkish youth seek new paths

In various parts of Turkey, individuals are working to preserve traditional family trades despite a growing lack of interest from younger generations.

In Mersin's Erdemli district, Yasin Çelik, a fourth-year law student at Marmara University, assists his father, Bahri Çelik, with grave digging. Yasin uses the income to fund his university expenses while learning the family profession. His father expressed concern that the demanding nature of the work, which must be performed in all weather conditions, may lead to the trade being forgotten as youth seek more comfortable employment.

In Gaziantep, Mehmet Uçar has operated a bag and suitcase repair shop in the historic Gaziantep Bazaar for 30 years after starting as an apprentice at age 10. Following his father's death, Uçar took over the business to keep the family tradition alive. He noted a significant difficulty in finding new apprentices, stating that while they once had up to ten apprentices during the summer, they now struggle to find anyone interested in learning the craft. Uçar encourages young people to pursue both academic education and manual trades.