Turkish regional leaders call for improved youth employment policies

Regional leaders and association heads in Turkey are calling for improved employment policies to address youth unemployment and future anxiety.

In Iğdır, Fırat Akkuş emphasized that youth unemployment threatens the city's future by forcing trained young people to migrate to other cities. He argued that temporary programs, such as the İŞKUR Youth Program, are insufficient for long-term stability. Akkuş proposed that municipalities establish employment and career offices to bridge the gap between youth and the private sector, involving universities and chambers of commerce. He also stressed the need for merit-based hiring in public and municipal sectors to maintain institutional trust.

In Manisa, Fatih Köse, President of the Düşünce Rotası Association, highlighted the need to transform the region's industrial, agricultural, and service sector potential into tangible job opportunities. Köse noted that a diploma alone is insufficient and called for stronger cooperation between vocational schools, universities, and the private sector to ensure training meets market demands. He stated that reducing future anxiety requires creating environments where young people can build lives and contribute to production within their own cities.