The 2nd Career Fair, organized by Yalova University this year, attracted great interest with the participation of more than 100 companies from different sectors. The fair, which brought together university students, graduates and representatives of the business world, hosted a rich content from panels to interviews, career counseling to alumni meetings.
Yalova Governor Dr. Hülya Kaya, Provincial General Assembly President Hasan Soygüzel, provincial protocol, academic and administrative staff and many students attended the fair. Career Center Coordinator Prof. Dr. Yasin Galip Gençer, who made the first speech at the opening, emphasized that sustainable success can only be possible with university-industry cooperation and thanked more than 100 companies participating in the fair.
Rector Prof. Dr. Bahçekapılı: “This fair is becoming a tradition”
Speaking at the opening, Rector of our University Prof. Dr. Mehmet Bahçekapılı emphasized that the fair is now on its way to becoming a culture and said:
“We are experiencing the excitement and pride of organizing the second edition of our Career Fair, the first of which we organized last year with great enthusiasm and interest. And now we see that this event is taking firm steps towards becoming a tradition and a culture. In a period when we have brought important services to our university one after the other and taken permanent steps; we are refreshed with every organization in line with our strategic goals.”
Rector “We offer a model for the youth of Turkey”
Underlining the rising trends in the world of human resources, Bahçekapılı stated that concepts such as competency-based recruitment, flexible working, artificial intelligence and digital literacy have become a new reality in students' career journey..Emphasizing that the university is not only ready for this transformation, but also an actor that directs it, Bahçekapılı continued his speech as follows:
“We have launched new programs focusing on the professions of the future. These new initiatives, ranging from artificial intelligence to digital game design, from data science to e-commerce management, are not just departments; they are also strategic orientations. We offer Turkey's youth a model that prioritizes applied education, integration with industry and adaptation to the technologies of the age. It is because that we believe a career is not just a diploma; it is the sum of visionary steps taken at the right time.”
“Living campus” and a call to the business world
In his speech, Prof. Dr. Bahçekapılı made the following statements about campus life and the institutional approach of the university:
“As Yalova University, we strive to build not just an educational institution but a living campus model where ideas, culture and production are intertwined,. I would like to make an open call to the entire trade and industry world of Yalova in the presence of the sector representatives who are here with us today: Our university is open to all kinds of cooperation, joint production and information sharing for the qualified employment, professional development and participation of our students as competent individuals of the future.”
Our Rector also emphasized a wide range of cooperation areas ranging from internship to employment, from projects to R&D, and stated that knowledge and labor can only gain value together.
A Day Full of Panels and Talks
Within the scope of the fair, many panels and sessions were organized throughout the day. Sector representatives and academicians came together with students in sessions held simultaneously at the Mehmet Okul Congress and Culture Center and the Faculty of Health Sciences Lecture Halls and Career Hall. The events included “Sectoral Sharing Panel”, “Football Industry in Sports Career”, “Psycho-Route: A Strong Step in Your Profession”, and ‘Efficiency in Solar Power Plants’.
In addition, alumni-student meetings were organized with panels featuring graduates from the Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Science and Vocational School. Graduates shared their sectoral experiences and answered students' questions.
