Master craftsmen in Turkey and Syria face apprenticeship shortage

In Erzurum, Turkey, wood‑carving master Yavuz Kırküzer, 56, has spent 43 years creating thousands of pieces and now works to pass his craft to younger generations, emphasizing the need for apprentices. In Perşembe, Ordu, 74‑year‑old tire‑repair specialist Hasan Usta has worked for more than half a century and laments the lack of young people willing to learn the trade. In Turkey’s jewelry sector, Ariş Pırlanta chairman Kerim Güzeliş warned that traditional jeweller‑artisan training is disappearing, citing regulatory hurdles and the impact of 3D design technologies on the supply of skilled masters. Across the border in Aleppo, Syria, artisan Eyman Said has been preserving a 1,400‑year‑old wood‑relief tradition for three generations, teaching his son in hopes of continuing the legacy. All four figures highlight a broader regional concern: the erosion of apprenticeship pathways threatens the survival of centuries‑old craft traditions.