ISKENDERUN BUSINESS PEOPLE VISIT ISTE
Iskenderun Technical University (ISTE) Rector Prof. Dr. Tolga Depci hosted the Board Members of Iskenderun Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Board Members of Iskenderun Organised Industry.
On May 13th, Monday, Prof. Dr. Tolga Depci, the Rector of Iskenderun Technical University (ISTE), hosted members of the Board of Directors of the Iskenderun Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as members of the Board of Directors of the Iskenderun Organized Industrial Zone. Iskenderun Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Levent Hakkı Yılmaz, Iskenderun Organized Industrial Zone President E. Ayhan Tosyalı, Payas Organized Industrial Zone President Osman Tufan, along with business figures Hasan Keskin, Nedim Şaban, Sedat Uysal, Figen Gül Dönmez, Zeki Altun, Mahir Taner, Hasan Fehmi Keskin, and Mithat Ceritbinmez comprised the visiting delegation. Hosting the delegation for lunch at the ISTE Main Dining Hall, Rector Depci later accompanied his guests for a tour of the campus.
Rector Depci provided information to the visiting delegation during their on-site inspection of Iskenderun Vocational Training Center (ISTE Talent Valley), a project implemented through collaboration between Iskenderun Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Iskenderun Organized Industrial Zone, and Hatay Governorate Investment Monitoring Coordination Presidency, with support from the Eastern Mediterranean Development Agency (DOGAKA) under the Attraction Centers Support Program. Spanning over 4000 square meters of enclosed space, MESEM (Iskenderun Vocational Training Center) consists of Gas Workshop, Filter Workshop, Renewable Energy Workshop, Hybrid Vehicles Workshop, UAV Workshop, Computer Laboratory, Conference and Seminar Halls, classrooms, meeting rooms, and cafeterias. Rector Depci highlighted that since November 2023, MESEM has been offering a wide range of training programs contributing to the region's normalization process after the February 6th earthquakes. He emphasized that through both individual and corporate training initiatives, they are facilitating access to qualified labor for the market and supporting individuals in their professional development.
The delegation later toured the Welding Technologies Center of Excellence, a partnership between ISTE, Iskenderun Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ITSO), and DOGAKA. The center, which trains welders through simulator training, field training, and live welding applications including underwater welding, boasts Turkey's most comprehensive welding laboratory.The visiting delegation, witnessing firsthand the wide array of training programs ranging from apprenticeship to postgraduate education, unanimously agreed that these programs will provide sustainable benefits to all sectors in the region. Rector Depci also provided information about the Iskenderun OSB Welding Vocational School, which has been approved by the Higher Education Council (YÖK) and allocated a building by Iskenderun Organized Industrial Zone (OSB), in alignment with the center's objectives. Expressing gratitude for their support and kind visit, Rector Depci thanked the visitors.
Following the visit, Rector Depci provided an evaluation, stating, "It is an honour for us to be supported and appreciated by our stakeholders. We will continue to add value to the region through collaboration. I am delighted to host our esteemed business people at ISTE."
The visit concluded with a group photo session.
