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1. Official guidelines on traineeships and apprenticeships

2. Promoting traineeships and apprenticeships

3. Recognition of learning outcomes

4. Funding

5. Quality assurance

Official guidelines on traineeships and apprenticeships

Traineeship and apprenticeship programs in Türkiye are regulated under Law No. 3308 on Vocational Training and the Regulation on Vocational and Technical Training. These legal frameworks outline the principles governing workplace-based learning, ensuring that students gain practical skills in alignment with labor market needs.

A trainee is defined as an individual employed by a company to observe and learn workplace practices, enhancing their knowledge through hands-on experience. An apprentice, on the other hand, develops profession-specific skills and work habits under a structured apprenticeship agreement, as specified by Law No. 3308.

Under Article 18 of Law No. 3308, employers with more than ten employees must provide skills training to vocational and technical education students, ensuring that at least 5% of their workforce consists of apprentices or trainees. This requirement applies to both public and private institutions that produce goods or services.

For university students, traineeships are mandatory in some academic programs. Even when not required, students may apply for internships with institutional approval, gaining valuable workplace experience.

Regulations and Guidelines
The Regulation on Vocational and Technical Training serves as the official guideline, setting standards for apprenticeship programs, traineeship durations, and employer obligations. Additionally, the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Qualifications Framework (TQF) governs all vocational, technical, and general education qualifications to ensure standardization and quality assurance.

• Each educational and vocational institution that requires traineeships develops its own guidelines detailing:
• Eligibility criteria for trainees and apprentices
• Duration and structure of training programs
• Assessment methods for evaluating student performance
• Rights and responsibilities of both students and employers

With these regulations, Türkiye ensures that traineeships and apprenticeships provide structured, high-quality learning experiences, helping students transition smoothly into the labor market.

Promoting traineeships and apprenticeships

The vocational qualification certificate is not obligatory for those having a mastership certificate in accordance with the Law No. 3308 on Vocational Training and those graduated from vocational or technical schools of the Ministry of National Education or from schools or departments of universities offering vocational and technical education and working at braches, areas or fields specified in their mastership certificates. However, individuals who do not meet these criteria are required to either undergo apprenticeship training or obtain a vocational qualification certificate to engage in certain professions.

The Vocational Requirements are also covered by the Turkish Qualifications Framework (TQF). The TQF classifies all qualifications whose quality assurance is ensured under eight levels and groups them according to their types. For example the Level 5 covers “Undergraduate Diploma” and “Level 5 Vocational Qualification Certificate” and Level 4 covers “Vocational and Technical Training High School Diploma” and “Mastership Certificate”.

The design of the TQF which ensures that qualifications relating to vocational aspects such as mastership and semiskilled certificates obtained by attending apprenticeship and semiskilled programs in addition to formal education are the same level with academic and general education qualifications aims to encourage young people in terms of having vocational qualifications by respecting vocational qualifications.

As part of active employment policies, which are a significant component of public employment services in Türkiye, the Turkish Employment Agency (ISKUR) organizes vocational training courses, on-the-job training programs, community service programs and other courses, programs, projects and special initiatives to contribute to maintaining and increasing employment, enhancing the vocational qualifications of the unemployed individuals, reducing unemployment, and integrating groups with special needs into the labor market. 

On-the-Job Training Programs: On-the-job training programs are organized by the Turkish Employment Agency (ISKUR) to provide registered unemployed individuals with vocational experience and enhance their employability. Labor Market Needs Analyses are conducted by the 81 Provincial Directorates of Labor and Employment Agency in Türkiye and the most needed professions in each province are identified based on the results. In line with the Annual Labor Force Training Plans prepared by the Provincial Directorates of Labor and Employment Agency, courses and programs are determined for these professions. On-the-Job Training Programs are implemented for a maximum duration of 6 months in the information technology and manufacturing sectors and a maximum of 3 months in other sectors, with a maximum of 8 hours per day and 45 hours per week, not exceeding 6 days per week. Participants who are in the status of job seekers receive a daily allowance of 850,18 TL, those in student status receive 850,18 TL and those receiving unemployment benefits receive a daily allowance of 425,09 TL for each day of actual participation. Additionally, during the program, participants' general health insurance, work accident, and occupational disease insurance premiums are covered by Turkish Employment Agency. In 2024, a total of 65,739 individuals benefited from on-the-job training programs, including 26,851 men and 38,888 women. The majority of participants were young people, with 75% aged 15-29, 21% aged 30-44, and 4% aged 45 and above. This data highlights that the program primarily serves youth, supporting their transition into the labor market. 

Additionally, in future professions such as cybersecurity, coding, and cloud computing, participants aged 18-29 can attend extended programs for up to nine months, receiving financial support. These specialized programs are held in technoparks, R&D centers, design hubs, and IT firms.

Vocational Training Courses: Vocational training courses are organized with the aim of providing a profession to those who do not have a profession and enhancing the employability of individuals who already have a profession but wish to improve their vocational skills. Upon successful completion of vocational training courses, participants are awarded a Course Completion Certificate. Participants receive a daily allowance ranging from 196,18 TL to 261,57 TL and their general health insurance, work accident, and occupational disease insurance premiums are covered during the course period.

Self-Employment Grant Support for People with Disabilities: Support for increasing employment opportunities for people with disabilities is also implemented by ISKUR. ISKUR provides grant support for disabled individuals who want to become their own bosses through the self-employment grant program and continues to stand by people with disabilities in the process of realizing their dreams. Within this framework, up to 150,000 TL grant support is provided to disabled individuals who want to start their own businesses and apply to ISKUR by preparing a project. 

On-the-Job Training Programs in Future Professions: In on-the-job training programs implemented for professions predicted to the future jobs, such as cybersecurity, coding, cloud technology, etc., participants in the 18-29 age group can attend programs for up to nine months, unlike other on-the-job training programs and participants receive a daily allowance of 482.41 TL. A total of 100 professions have been identified as future occupations and on-the-job training programs in these professions are carried out in technoparks, workplaces operating as Research and Development (R&D) centers, technology center enterprises, design centers and workplaces in the information and communication sector. 

Qualified IT Specialist Training Project:  Since 2014, specialized courses for the information technology sector have been organized with Qualified IT Specialist Training Project (NBUY). Within the scope of the NBUY Project, the training sessions are conducted with a higher quality compared to other vocational training programs and the correct target audience has been identified. Under the NBUY Project, training has been provided for the professions of Software Specialist, System Specialist, Enterprise Resource Planning Specialist, Cybersecurity Specialist, Cloud Computing Specialist and Game Development Specialist. 

KALFA Program: A collaboration protocol for organizing and implementing vocational training courses within the scope of the Kalfa Program has been established between the Presidency of Defense Industries and General Directorate of Turkish Employment Agency under the Ministry Labor and Social Security. Additionally, a collaboration has been established between the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) and the Turkish Employment Agency (ISKUR) aimed at training qualified workforce for the defense industry sector. Within the scope of the collaboration, vocational training courses are organized to contribute to the development of qualified human resources in the defense industry ecosystem and to increase the number of qualified professionals in the defense industry. Training is provided for recent university graduates in the fields of Structural Analysis and Design Specialist, Embedded Systems Specialist, Radar and Communication Systems Specialist, Propulsion and Motor Systems Specialist and Cybersecurity Specialist within this collaboration. Upon successful completion of this training, a pool of employment opportunities will be created by SSB for the graduates. The goal is to ensure that at least seventy percent of the graduates are employed in defense industry firms. 

Intership Portal: In July 2022, a "Internship Portal" was created to enable young people to easily access and apply for internship announcements from registered employers. The portal provides a platform for young people to easily access internship announcements and for employers to find suitable interns.

Recognition of learning outcomes

The 35th article of Law No. 3308 on Vocational Education states: "The vocational competencies related to previous learning are determined through examination based on vocational standards and levels". The Vocational Qualifications Authority (VQA) is concentrated on activities relating to recognition of former learnings and validation of common and free learnings. The VQA ensures recognition and certification of learning acquisitions determined in the national qualifications through authorization of professional organizations, employee-employer unions, units of universities engaged in certification of personnel, independent personnel Certification Bodies.

The Certification Bodies Authorized by the VQA measures and assesses individuals wishing to obtain a VQA Vocational Qualifications Certificate in relevant UYs and provides successful person with such certificate.

The Authorized Certification Bodies provides individuals with the opportunity of certification of their vocational knowledge, skills and qualifications obtained in any manner and regardless of their educational background and job experience. Learning acquirements of those whose applicants are found to be appropriate among the individuals making an application for certification are measured and assessed according to the criteria defined in relevant UYs and the VQA Vocational Qualification Certificate is issued for those successful. The VQA Vocational Qualification Certificates are the documents which are recognized and relied on by national and international labour markets.         

Thus, individuals find the opportunity to save the units in which they are successful. In addition, Europass Certificate Supplements which define the learning acquisitions covered by the VQA Vocational Qualification Certificates hold by individuals are developed and published in website of the VQA.

Participants in vocational training courses organized by the Turkish Employment Agency (ISKUR) are initially awarded a vocational qualification certificate which is internationally recognized. In cases where this is not possible, a course completion certificate or diploma approved by the Ministry of National Education or a university is issued. Unemployed individuals who receive training can be employed in private sector workplaces based on the profession they have been trained in and the available job opportunities. Individuals who participate in on-the-job training programs receive an On-the-Job Training Program Certificate.

Funding

In accordance with the Law on Vocational Training the Ministry of National Education is obliged to pay premiums for semiskilled workers, those receiving vocational training in enterprises, students subject to apprenticeship when studying at vocational or technical secondary school and students receiving complementary training or field training. For scholarships engaged in projects supported by public institutions and establishments, the public institutions and establishments within which the project is conducted are liable to pay premiums.  For students subject to apprenticeship during higher education or those receiving vocational trainings in enterprises, the higher education institution at which such students are studying is liable to pay premiums.

Since premiums of apprentices are paid by the Ministry of National Education or the institutions at which they are trained there is not any premium load on employers and there is not any other direct exemption or deduction for apprentices. 

The financing of active labor programs organized by ISKUR is covered by the Unemployment Insurance Fund.

The certificate cost relating to professions that require certification under Law No. 5544 on the Vocational Qualifications Authority and the exam fee, provided that it does not exceed half of the gross minimum wage and is determined by a Presidential decree for each profession, are covered by the Unemployment Insurance Fund in accordance with the principles set forth in the Law on Unemployment Insurance.

Quality assurance

The Vocational and Technical Education Policy Document (2024) emphasizes strengthening workplace-based learning to enhance the quality of traineeships, apprenticeships, and dual education models. The document highlights quality assurance in vocational training by ensuring that training programs align with labor market needs, sectoral expectations, and international standards.

For an enterprise to accept students for vocational training, it must comply with at least 80% of the educational program, employ at least one master educator or trainer in the relevant field, and meet workplace standards set by regulations. To enhance the quality and efficiency of vocational training, the policy promotes closer cooperation between the Ministry of National Education, the Council of Higher Education, the Vocational Qualifications Authority, and industry representatives.

• Key quality assurance measures include:
• Standardization of learning outcomes in collaboration with industry stakeholders.
• Integration of modular and credit-based structures for formal and non-formal training.
• Recognition and validation of prior learning experiences.
• Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure continuous improvement.

The Ministry of National Education has adopted a Total Quality Management approach in vocational training. The Implementing Directive on Total Quality Management regulates the establishment and functioning of quality improvement teams within vocational education institutions. These teams are responsible for monitoring compliance with quality assurance principles, improving training standards, and ensuring students acquire industry-relevant skills.