Türkiye is launching a comprehensive new youth employment initiative dubbed "GÜÇ" or "The Age of Youth in Production."
The program aims to incorporate some 3 million young people into the labor market within three years, with a total financing of TL 445.1 billion (nearly $10.35 billion).
The GÜÇ program, launched by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, provides broad support for young people, from internships to first-time employment, from vocational training to university life, and from the private sector to social cohesion initiatives.
Aiming to help young people gain professional experience through internships, become familiar with working life, join the labor market more easily, and remain employed in the long term, the GÜÇ initiative was introduced in a program on Jan. 6 with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The GÜÇ Program consists of five main programs: "Internship Support," "My Future in the Profession," "NEET Labor Adjustment," "First Step to Work" and "IŞKUR Youth."
Through these pillars, the GÜÇ program aims to ensure early work experience for young people, align their skills with labor market needs, and steer them toward qualified employment.
With a budget totaling TL 445.1 billion, the GÜÇ program aims to integrate approximately 3 million young people into the labor market.
The program foresees one-on-one follow-up for 750,000 vocational high school students, lowering the unemployment rate below the 7.8% target set in the 2026-2028 Medium-Term Program (MTP), and reducing Türkiye’s youth unemployment rate to levels below the OECD average of 11.5%.
Anadolu Agency (AA) compiled the key points of the GÜÇ program in five questions:
1: What steps will be taken regarding internships and what opportunities will be provided?
Under Internship Support, internship opportunities for high school and university students are consolidated under a single roof. Integrating the Turkish Employment Agency's (IŞKUR) Internship Portal with the National Internship Program will make it easier for students to access internships and allow public and private sector employers to track internship quotas more effectively.
Over the next three years, 800,000 students are expected to receive internship opportunities. With wage and insurance premium support during internship periods, young people will be able to transition into working life more easily. Since 2022, TL 80 billion have been paid out for internship support, illustrating the scale of public backing. An additional TL 26.2 billion has been allocated to further expand internship capacity in the upcoming period.
2: What will be done to bring students together with employers?
Through the "My Future in Profession" program, targeting final-year vocational high school and vocational college students, young people will meet employers while still students. They will receive one-on-one career counseling and be directed toward fields, particularly manufacturing, where labor demand is high.
Special career fairs and mass interviews will be organized for these students, enabling direct contact with employers. Over three years, 750,000 young people are expected to receive individualized career support, helping to shorten job-search periods and reduce out-of-field employment after graduation.
3: What will be offered to young people who are neither in education nor in employment?
Through the NEET Labor Adjustment Program (NIUP), the aim is to reintroduce 450,000 young people into the productive process over three years. The program offers part-time and flexible working models, helping young people gain basic skills and gradually adapt to working life.
Participants will take on practical tasks in areas such as social services, maintenance-repair, and green transformation in cooperation with public institutions, and will receive daily stipends and short-term insurance support. A budget of TL107.3 billion has been allocated for the program. NIUP stands out as an important integration model that strengthens both economic and social participation for young people at risk of marginalization.
4: What support will be provided to connect young people with their first jobs?
Under the "First Step to Work" Program, wage and insurance premium support will be offered to young people aged 18-25 entering the workforce for the first time. For up to six months, wages equivalent to the net minimum wage and the corresponding insurance premiums will be covered by the Unemployment Insurance Fund.
This support aims to reduce financial barriers to youth employment and strengthen private-sector access to qualified young labor. With a budget of TL 215.8 billion, the program aims to benefit 750,000 young people over three years and foster strong cooperation with the private sector.
5: What will be done to help university students gain work experience?
Through the IŞKUR Youth Program for university students, the goal is to reach 1 million students by the end of 2028. Students will work flexibly for one to three days a week outside class hours and gain experience in nearly 30 fields, from sustainable campus activities to digital transformation, from social and cultural work to entrepreneurship.
Students will both earn income and gain work discipline and professional experience. At a time when youth unemployment among women remains high, the inclusive program stands out and has been allocated TL 95.8 billion.