The Institution for Providing Jobs and Employees (İŞKUR) aims to find jobs for 850,000 people by the end of this year. İŞKUR Deputy General Manager, Mehmet Ali Özkan, said when employers hire people who have participated in the On the Job Training Program, they will receive certain incentives from the government. Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Özkan underscored the importance of work placement programs in increasing employment figures, and said that while 690,000 people benefited from work placement programs in 2013, 701,000 individuals benefited in 2014.

The unemployment rate hit a four-year high in December 2014, while the number of employed individuals increased at the same time. According to data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), the unemployment rate increased to 10.9 percent from 10.7 percent the previous month. Turkey has grown an average of 3 percent in the last three years, while the non-farm payroll data in the same time period was up by around 5 percent. Özkan stressed that unemployment rates are being announced by TÜİK on a monthly basis, and that these figures are based on Eurostat indicators. "With our efforts, this figure will decrease," Özkan added.

Thanks to İŞKUR's efforts, 173,000 people were employed within the first two months of 2015, and Özkan said that they aim to place the right people in the right place and contribute to the labor market.

Last week, the government announced the minimum wage would be paid by İŞKUR to trainees who attend six-month on-the-job training in private sector offices as part of a new incentive program. The expenses spent by companies for training would be deducted from their taxable income. If the trainees are hired in the same line of business, the employer's national insurance contribution for 42 months in the construction sector and for 30 months in other sectors will be paid by İŞKUR. Furthermore, if on-the-job training starts before July 2015, companies will be able to benefit from the incentive for an additional six months. Additionally, the new package will provide additional support for investors in research, development and design.

Özkan said that it was important to train employees that have the qualifications sought by employers, and that they are working on a program that will provide the employees with the required professional qualifications and experience. Özkan further stressed that people who are searching for a job and who don't have any experience can benefit from the 6-month on-the-job training program, which in return, will provide them with the required professional experience to find jobs in the market and help them become more qualified.

Adding that İŞKUR is a bridge between employers and employees, Özkan highlighted that the employers' expectations and the employees' qualifications should match in order for the labor market to function properly. "Our efforts are aimed at ensuring this match happens. We have succeeded a great deal. Now, employers will receive government support when they hire people who have attended the on-the-job training program," Özkan stressed. He also encouraged employees to participate in the on-the-job training program to improve their qualifications and become qualified personnel to enter the workforce.