employment

Skills, confidence and community service

Women training at Halkkent MERCEK Mesleki Eğitim Merkezi in Toroslar presented handmade clothing and textile products prepared during the year, highlighting a local program that connects vocational learning with employment, home production and community service. The exhibit featured work by trainees in the Giyim Üretim Teknolojileri Atölyesi, which operates under Mersin Metropolitan Municipality’s social services structure.

According to DHA, 150 trainees took part across 10 courses in the clothing production workshop. Their training begins with machine use and basic pattern knowledge, then continues with hands-on production. The program is run in cooperation with Toroslar Halk Eğitim Merkezi, and trainees who complete it receive a Ministry of National Education-approved certificate.

The program also has a practical social support side. Trainees make clothing for themselves and their families, but also prepare free clothing that is delivered through Mersin Metropolitan Municipality’s Kıyafet Evi to people in need. Some graduates have found work in the private sector, while others have set up small workshops at home and begun earning income from their skills. The exhibit gave participants a public way to show their progress, with trainees describing the courses as a confidence-building step toward helping family budgets and gaining more independence.