TİKA Established a Vocational Training Centre in Bosnia Herzegovina

Gradacac Vocational Training Centre, which was established with the cooperation of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), Gradacac Municipality, Gradacac Businessmen’s Association, UNDP Istanbul International Centre for Private Sector in Development, UNDP Bosnia-Herzegovina Office, and Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry Education Foundation (BUTGEM), was inaugurated.

Gradacac Vocational Training Centre, which was established with the cooperation of TİKA, UNDP, Gradacac Municipality, Gradacac Businessmen’s Association and BUTGEM to train qualified labour force for production industries and increase employment, was inaugurated.

In the first phase of the project, which aims to train qualified personnel for the labour market, 25 people (workers and trainers) attended the CNC Machine Management and Programming training program, which was organized in BUTGEM in Bursa and lasted for approximately 3 months.

Since those who received training in BUTGEM were employed right afterwards, the idea of building a vocational training centre similar to BUTGEM in the region to meet Bosnia-Herzegovina’s need for semi-qualified workers emerged. Afterwards, a building was allocated by Gradacac Municipality and the building, which was used as a high school building before the Bosnian war and suffered great damage during the war, was repaired, equipped and turned into the Vocational Training Centre.

In his speech, Mayor of Gradacac Edis Dervisagic stated that the Vocational Training Centre project in Gradacac was unprecedented in Bosnia-Herzegovina and that the municipality and its partners supported projects that would provide young people with employment. Dervisagic said: “This centre, which was established with the cooperation of TİKA and UNDP and is a product of a great effort and cooperation, will make a great contribution to meeting private sector’s need for qualified labour in the north-east of Bosnia. In this region, which developed with the improvements in the industrial sector in recent years, we will both train qualified workers for industrialists and contribute to the employment of young people.”

In his speech, Uğur Tanyeli, Head of the Foreign Relations and Partnerships Department of TİKA, said: “We are aware that equipping workers and those who want to enter the labour market with knowledge and skills compatible with new technologies is the biggest contribution that can be made to the economy of a country. In this direction, as TİKA, we are happy to be a part of this project, which aims to decrease the youth unemployment and train qualified employees who will meet the needs of the industrial sector.”

UNDP Bosnia-Herzegovina Resident Coordinator Stelina Nedera said: “Cooperation plays a major role in the achievement of development goals. This cooperation contributed significantly to the success of this project. I would like to thank all our partners who contributed to the project.”

İpek Dincel, who attended the inauguration on behalf of BUTGEM and ERTEV (Ermetal Technological Training Foundation), said: “As BUTGEM and ERTEV, we will always continue to support Bosnia-Herzegovina. Through our new collaborations and projects, we are always ready to share our knowledge and experience with you.”