To increase women's employment and support female entrepreneurship in Samsun, the "Women's Employment and Women's Entrepreneurship Collaboration Protocol" was signed in cooperation with the Samsun Governorship, Samsun Metropolitan Municipality, Samsun Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TSO), TOBB Women Entrepreneurs Council, and the Middle Black Sea Development Agency (OKA). As part of this initiative, various training programs and activities have started.

Sub-protocols will be signed among partner institutions to ensure qualified employment opportunities for women and to enhance their professional competencies.

Protocol Signed for Industrial Robot Operation Training

One of the key activities within this protocol is the Industrial Robot Operation Training, aimed at providing women with specialized skills in robotics technologies. The cooperation protocol for the training was signed between OKA, Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) Yeşilyurt Demir Çelik Vocational School (MYO), Samsun Central Organized Industrial Zone (OSB), the Chamber of Mechanical Engineers (TMMOB) Samsun Branch, and the Chamber of Electrical Engineers (TMMOB) Samsun Branch.

The signing ceremony was held at Yeşilyurt Demir Çelik Vocational School and was attended by OMU Rector Prof. Dr. Fatma Aydın, OKA Secretary General Mehlika Dicle, Samsun OSB Director Hakan Tütüncüoğlu, Mechanical Engineers Chamber Samsun Branch Director Kadir Gürkan, and Electrical Engineers Chamber Samsun Branch Director Adnan Korkmaz.

Opportunity for Women to Specialize in Robotics Technologies

As an effective step toward strengthening women’s employment in Samsun, the Industrial Robot Operation Training will be open to 20 female engineers, technicians, and students or graduates from relevant fields aged 18-30. Participants will receive comprehensive training in industrial robot operation, robotic programming, and robotic simulation, equipping them with the skills to be qualified professionals in the sector.

At the end of the training, participants are expected to be employed in medium- and high-tech companies in Samsun.

The theoretical part of the training will take place at the OKA Secretariat Building from April 14-19, 2025, while the practical sessions will be conducted at OMU Yeşilyurt Demir Çelik Vocational School’s industrial robot training facility. The program aims to increase women’s participation in the industrial and high-tech sectors.

Development Agencies’ 2024-2025 Theme: “Women’s Entrepreneurship and Employment”

The Ministry of Industry and Technology’s General Directorate of Development Agencies has designated “Women’s Employment and Women’s Entrepreneurship” as its focus area for 2024-2025. Training programs and employment-oriented projects have been prioritized within this scope to ensure women’s active participation in production processes.

In alignment with this vision, a collaboration protocol was signed on November 5, 2024, among the Samsun Governorship, Samsun Metropolitan Municipality, Samsun Chamber of Commerce and Industry, TOBB Samsun Women Entrepreneurs Council, and OKA. This protocol aims to increase women’s employment, promote female entrepreneurship, and connect trained women with employers.

Rector Aydın: "20 Women Will Be Employed at the End of the Training"

Speaking at the signing ceremony, OMU Rector Prof. Dr. Fatma Aydın emphasized the significance of the collaboration:

"We have signed a crucial protocol with our stakeholders. We have established a partnership in the field of industrial robotics. We believe that women should be employed in contemporary and globally relevant fields. We take great pride in initiating this process. These employment opportunities and entrepreneurship activities will continue to grow in the future. Under this protocol, a six-day training program will be held, and at the end of the training, 20 women will be employed."

OKA Secretary General Dicle: "The Protocol Will Meet the Need for Qualified Employment"

Highlighting the importance of the signed protocol, OKA Secretary General Mehlika Dicle stated:

"As the General Directorate of Development Agencies, we are working on 'women’s entrepreneurship and employment' in 2025. In the last quarter of 2024, we signed a master protocol with the Governorship of Samsun, Samsun Metropolitan Municipality, TOBB Women Entrepreneurs Council, Samsun Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and OKA to increase women's entrepreneurship and employment in Samsun. We conducted various field studies to determine the training areas, and as a result, the first training will be in ‘industrial robot operation.’

This field aligns with Samsun’s development in medium and advanced technology industries and will meet the growing demand for qualified personnel. We invite female technicians, engineers, and senior university students to apply for this program. The Central Organized Industrial Zone is also part of this protocol, ensuring that companies in the zone facilitate the employment of trained participants.

The training will consist of theoretical sessions at our agency and practical training at OMU Yeşilyurt MYO. Yeşilyurt MYO is a key institution located in the heart of the industry, with significant infrastructure."

The signing ceremony was attended by OMU Rector Prof. Dr. Fatma Aydın, OKA Secretary General Mehlika Dicle, TOBB Samsun Women Entrepreneurs Executive Board Chair Mihriban Akyüz, OMU Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Çetin Kurnaz, and Yeşilyurt Demir Çelik MYO Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gökhan Demir.