Huge Moves from Karsan, ILO and Borçelik to Prepare Female Students in Vocational High Schools for Business Life…
Karsan, which plays a leading role in the transformation of public transportation in the world with its vision of being “One Step Ahead in the Future of Mobility”, continues to support social life and education. In this context, Karsan signed a new cooperation with the International Labor Organization (ILO) and Borçelik Technical Academy. In addition to the unions, representatives of Bursa Provincial Directorate of National Education and Martyr Ömer Halisdemir Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School also attended the signing ceremony. The project, which includes a comprehensive training and development program that will start in February 2026 and be completed in June 2026, aims to improve the technical skills of female students at the Electric Vehicles Laboratory of Şehit Ömer Halisdemir Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School, increase their self-confidence and leadership capacity, raise awareness about their rights in working life and strengthen their employability in the industrial sector.
We will prepare female students strongly for business life!
Stating that this project is a social responsibility initiative focused on social benefit, Karsan CEO Okan Baş“While this strong collaboration contributes to the preparation of female students for the future as more visible, equipped and courageous individuals in technical fields, it also reflects Karsan’s determination to strengthen equality of opportunity with its understanding of social responsibility. Thanks to our corporate transformation journey that started with the ILO in 2019, we have become one of the reference brands of the sector in the egalitarian and inclusive production culture. Now we are taking this approach to the student level; we aim to support the professional development of female students and start their business life stronger. As Karsan, we will continue to provide full support to vocational education,” he said.
Karsan Human Resources Director Mücahit Korkut “This protocol is a reflection of the equality-oriented transformation we have been carrying out at Karsan for years. With the project, we aim to support the development journey of female students, support their strong preparation for the business life of the future, and raise female role models.”
It supports an egalitarian working environment!
ILO Türkiye Director Yasser Ahmed HassanHe spoke on the subject as follows:
“This collaboration is a strong example of how businesses can create a concrete and positive change in people’s lives. It also reflects the ILO mission to ensure that all women and men have equal rights, free from discrimination, in working life. Discrimination does not occur by chance; it is fueled by unequal power relations and deep-rooted gender stereotypes in society. This restricts women’s access to opportunities, especially in technical fields. By joining forces with Karsan and Borçelik, we support young women to gain the skills and self-confidence they need. At the same time, companies, We help them eliminate structural barriers that block talent.
This both reflects a rights-based approach and creates strong value for the business world. Companies that advance gender equality achieve higher productivity, stronger innovation capacity and greater competitiveness in global markets. I am also very pleased that Türk Metal and MESS are involved as active social partners in this process. We believe that this initiative will encourage more businesses to invest in equal opportunities and create working environments where young women can reveal their potential.”
Borçelik, one of the important partners of the project, brings important experience to this collaboration with its practices that strengthen the presence of women in the steel and heavy industry sectors.
Borcelik Human Resources and Corporate Communications Director Derya Demirer“As Borçelik, we carry out our sustainability strategy with Borusan Holding’s ‘Climate, People and Innovation’ focus; we consider gender equality as a fundamental part of this approach. We see women’s more visible, stronger and more equal participation in the industry as a social responsibility. This cooperation is a direct investment in the female engineers, technicians and leaders of the future. We are very happy to provide young girls with real production experience and increase their self-confidence and professional competence with the expertise of Borçelik Technical Academy.” he said.
Training will be held under 4 different topics!
The new project for 12th grade female students is planned to be realized in 4 modules between November 2025 and June 2026 at the Karsan Electric Vehicles Laboratory at Şehit Ömer Halisdemir Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School:
Promotion and Awareness: ILO – International Labor Organization Promotion, Karsan Promotion & Borçelik Promotion, Future Workshop Program Promotion, Preventing Discrimination in Working Life and Ensuring Gender Equality
Preparation for Business Life:Trainings such as Occupational Health and Safety, Environmental Management System, Quality Management System and Energy Management, Sustainability, CV creation, Basic interview skills
Personal Skills: Effective communication skills, team role taking and solidarity
Mentoring: Panel: Inspiring female engineers, Women Engineers and Mentoring Program
Students, teachers and parents will be included in the “Promotion and Awareness” part of the program, 25 students will be included in the “Preparation for Business Life” part, 25 students will be included in the “Personal Skills” part, and 10 students will be included in the “Mentoring” part within “Personal Skills”.
Business Life of Female Students in Vocational High Schools from Karsan, ILO and Borçelik….
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