Within the scope of the Labour Market Support Programme for NEETs (NEET PRO), the closing ceremony of the ‘NEETs Accessing the Market’ project, which is carried out under the coordination of the Trabzon Commodity Exchange (TCE) and in cooperation with Karadeniz Technical University (KTU) is held.

The closing ceremony is held in Trabzon province with the participation of institutions that are fully compatible with the program outcomes, including Trabzon Governor Mr. Aziz Yıldırım, KTU Vice Rector Prof. Halil İbrahim Okumuş, Ministry of Labor and Social Security Foreign Relations and European Union Deputy Director General Mr. Ersoy Günay, Metropolitan Municipality Secretary General Mr. Gürkan Üçüncü, TTSO Chairman Mr. Erkut Çelebi, Commodity Exchange Chairman Mr. Eyüp Ergan, Trabzon Chamber of Tradesmen and Craftsmen Union (TESOB) Chairman Mr. Metin Kara, İŞKUR Provincial Director Servet Kaba, public institution experts, trainees and relevant persons.

In opening speech, Vice Rector Prof. Halil İbrahim OKUMUŞ greeted all participants on behalf of our Rector Prof. Hamdullah ÇUVALCI and our university and drew attention to the general objectives and outcomes of the project and the contribution it provided as a university institution to the project. He emphasized that KTU is the 4th university and the second technical university of TÜRKİYE as a research university and stated that thanks to our university, which takes an active role in the project with experienced academic experts in the field, it supports the education missions of institutions affiliated with the Trabzon Commodity Exchange (TCE).

Following the opening speeches, KTÜ Technology Transfer Application and Research Center General Manager Prof. Oktay YILDIZ made a comprehensive presentation on the inclusive training topics carried out for a year within the scope of ‘NEETs Accessing the Market’, seminars organized with the participation of sector leaders, the trainees’ experience in the traditionally organized DOKKAF’24 from the Eastern Black Sea Region, the experience of the ‘International Düşünden Gerçeğine® Project Competition’ organized systematically every year by Karadeniz Technical University and with its international structure for the first time in 2024, the field experience carried out with industrialists who are always open to communication in the region, and the individual action plan provided with one-on-one consultancy service specific to the trainees under the leadership of İŞKUR, and introduced the successes achieved in line with the project’s goals to the participants.

24 young people, defined as NEETs preparing for the labor market, aged between 15-29 and with a heterogeneous educational profile, were employed throughout the project, and the employment rate is expected to be completed by the last quarter of 2024.