Building Skills Together: Best Practices from Industry Experts

In line with GAN’s mission to support the private sector in advancing high-quality apprenticeship programs, GAN Türkiye and the Turkish Confederation of Employer Associations (TİSK), in collaboration with GAN Global, successfully hosted a webinar on May 15 titled “Building Skills Together: Best Practices from Industry Experts”.

The session aimed to raise awareness about the importance of on-the-job training and apprenticeship programs in Türkiye, while showcasing global best practices by UBS and inspiring member organizations by fostering knowledge sharing among industry leaders, apprenticeship practitioners, and other stakeholders.

The session opened with welcoming remarks from Akansel Koç, Secretary General of TİSK, and Kathryn Rowan, Executive Director of GAN Global, who set the tone for the event by emphasizing the critical role of apprenticeships in creating a future-ready workforce. The panel brought together distinguished speakers from UBS, Migros Türkiye, Anadolu Isuzu who shared inspiring examples of best practices within their organizations.

Panel Discussion: Successful Examples from the Sector

UBS University: Success Through Investment and Partnership

Rebecca Kellogg, Head of UBS University, highlighted the effectiveness of apprenticeship programs as long-term investments in talent pipelines, drawing on Swiss dual training model. She emphasized the importance of collaboration between companies, government, and educational institutions to foster skills development and transition pathways for young people.

Migros Academy: The School of Retail

Selcan Alkaya Tetik, Training and Development Manager at Migros Türkiye, introduced the Migros Academy, a company-wide training platform that provides more than 6.3 million total training hours to employees each year. Key programs include store management, leadership development, and fresh food schools, with a focus on bridging theoretical knowledge and practical skills.

Anadolu Isuzu: Training the Masters of the Future

Özcan Fidan, HR Technical Training Specialist, outlined Anadolu Isuzu’s vocational development programs, designed to meet the automotive sector’s evolving technological and competitive demands for qualified employees. The program focuses on welding, painting, electrical systems, and operational excellence, aiming to meet evolving technological demands and support employment growth, particularly for young and female employees.

Key Takeaways: Success Factors and Benefits of the Programs

Throughout the discussion, speakers highlighted the multifaceted benefits of apprenticeships, especially related to the development of technical and soft skills, fostering innovation, and contributing to corporate reputation and sustainability. Strong partnerships, structured learning, continuous mentorship, and the alignment of training with real-world applications were noted as the key ingredients to effective programs.

The webinar concluded with a reminder that apprenticeship programs are not merely training initiatives but strategic tools that shape the future workforce. By combining practical learning with personal development, these programs empower young people and support business growth in an evolving economic landscape.