The Türkiye Internships Program, by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), begins its 2026 term with 115 young engineers from the Turkish diaspora set to gain professional experience at leading defense industry companies in Türkiye.
An opening meeting for the 2026 interns was held at YTB's Ankara office on Tuesday, where the selected engineers met with YTB President Abdulhadi Turus.
Turus highlighted the importance of connecting young people living abroad with Türkiye’s defense industry and technology ecosystem, saying the program offers participants opportunities to develop their academic knowledge through practical experience.
“We attach importance to our young people connecting with Türkiye’s defense industry and technology ecosystem while continuing their education in different engineering and technology fields,” Turus said.
He added that participants would work with expert teams, gain insight into institutional operations and strengthen their academic knowledge through hands-on experience.
The program also includes cultural activities designed to introduce participants to Türkiye’s historical and cultural heritage and give them an opportunity to visit different cities, Turus said.
The Türkiye Internships Program was launched in 2023 in cooperation with TUSAŞ under the name “SKY Global Türk.” It has since expanded with the participation of additional defense industry companies.
With ASELSAN joining the program in 2026 and TEI introducing an online internship program, the number of program partners has increased to six.
The program brings qualified young engineers studying abroad, particularly in Germany, France, Canada, the U.S. and the U.K., together with defense industry companies in Türkiye.
Students studying aerospace, software, mechanical, electrical and electronics, and industrial engineering undergo a special selection process to participate.
The 2026 program is being held in three terms. The first term at TUSAŞ runs from Aug. 10 to Sept. 4, while the second term at ASELSAN runs from Aug. 17 to Sept. 11.
The third term runs from Sept. 7 to Oct. 2, with TUSAŞ, ROKETSAN, HAVELSAN and STM participating in the program.
