Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan attended the Türkiye Century Meetings program held in Arnavutköy. Minister Işıkhan, who met with businessmen, was accompanied by Arnavutköy Mayor Mustafa Candaroğlu.
"ISTANBUL AIRPORT IS BREAKING WORLD RECORDS"
Speaking in the program, Minister Işıkhan blamed the opposition and said, "Unfortunately, Istanbul Airport, which is incapable of serving the nation and said 'no plane will land here' by visionless and idle mentalities, today breaks records in Europe and the world by hosting more than 80 million passengers a year. Our airport also adds value to Arnavutköy with the large economic and social ecosystem it creates. Our airport is one of the largest districts of Istanbul, with thousands of businesses within its structure and hundreds of thousands of jobs it provides. "It also makes Arnavutköy an important employment center," he said.
"WE AIM TO REDUCE THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE TO 7.6 PERCENT IN 2029"
Stating that they are working to reduce unemployment figures in Türkiye with new employment models, Minister Işıkhan said, "We are on the threshold of a new era in terms of the Turkish economy and working life. With our Medium Term Program, we have set out the targets and road map for the next three years. We aim to create approximately 2.1 million additional jobs in the 2027-2029 period and gradually reduce the unemployment rate to 7.6 percent in 2029.
Of course, our goal is not only to increase employment numerically. While we support the opening of new business areas, we also have to prepare our working lives for the needs of the future. Improving the quality of our workforce, reducing skill mismatch, strengthening the participation of our youth and women in the workforce, and increasing adaptation to new generation working models and sectoral transformations are among the main priorities of the coming period.
Because we now live in a world that changes much faster. Digitalization, artificial intelligence, green transformation and new technologies; It reshapes all areas of working life, from production processes to professions, from ways of doing business to the skills needed. In today's and tomorrow's competition, only capital, factory or machinery will not be enough. Determinants of competition; There will be qualified human resources, technology, high efficiency and innovation.
Dear business people, we shape our policies with this understanding. "We are strengthening the mechanisms that will enable our employers to more easily access the qualified workforce they need, and our job-seeking citizens to find jobs that match their skills more quickly," he said.
"WE CAN DELIVER THE VALUES WE PRODUCE TO BOTH EUROPE AND ANATOLIA IN THE FASTEST WAY"
Arnavutköy Mayor Mustafa Candaroğlu drew attention to the economic potential of the district and said, "Today, our district has a very important position guiding our national development goals in the axis of production, trade, logistics and employment. Both the official data in front of us and the concrete facts on the field clearly show us our potential.
Today, our district is a giant production base with an industrial area of 22 million square meters, over 200 thousand employees, nearly a thousand enterprises and an annual turnover of 22 billion dollars. With an export volume of 11 billion dollars, Arnavutköy alone accounts for approximately 5 percent of Türkiye's total exports. Thanks to the strategic location of our district, our production potential goes beyond borders and is directly connected to the world.
Located right next to Istanbul Airport, one of the most important centers in the world, our district significantly increases the competitiveness of our business people in the global market thanks to its strategic location, air cargo transportation and strong logistics infrastructure. "In addition, thanks to our Northern Marmara Highway connection, we can deliver the values we produce to both Europe and Anatolia in the fastest way," he said.
"VOCATIONAL TRAINING COURSES AND ON-JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN TRAINING A QUALIFIED WORKFORCE"
Stating that they attach importance to the vision and support of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security in Arnavutköy, Candaroğlu said, "The active workforce programs, employment incentives and reforms that ease the burden on the shoulders of the business world, implemented by our ministry under the leadership of our Minister, are one of the biggest driving forces in the growth of our district's industry. Especially the vocational training courses and on-the-job training programs implemented in cooperation with İş-Kur play a vital role in training the qualified workforce that our industrialists need."
