But the VET schools – whose job it is to train this workforce – are struggling to keep up. Such is the speed of technological change that even those schools which are well-equipped and have good teachers at their disposal can fall behind in a matter of years.
This creates a difficult situation both for VET graduates who find their training does not equip them for the world of work and for employers who cannot find the kind of workers they need and may be obliged to spend time and money retraining people as a consequence.
For many, the solution lies in helping VET schools to build a closer working relationship with industry as the best way of producing a better fit between the training they provide and the needs of the labour market. Şişli Technical and Vocational Secondary School in Istanbul provides an interesting example of how this can be done.
An early adopter, the school began to build its links with the Turkish car industry back in 1992 when it began cooperating with Toyota. The resulting training programme aims to produce qualified tecnical personnel who can provide after sales service. Agreements have since been signed with a wide range of companies from the sector including Mercedes-Benz Türk, Doğuş Otomotiv Servis ve Ticaret, Toyotasa Toyota Sabancı Pazarlama ve Satış, Otomotiv Sanayi Türkiye, Efsane Motor Servis Ticaret, Honda Türkiye, Mengerler Ticaret Türk, DENTUR- Deniz Turizmini Ve Denizciliği Geliştirme Derneği, TOFAŞ Türk Otomobil Fabrikası. Agreements typically include enlisting the help of companies in setting up laboratories at the school which are then used to train students from 10th grade upwards.
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