BTA Supports Professional Development

BTA Supporting Professional Development Borçelik Technical Academy (BTA), established within Borçelik in 2014, supports professional development of individuals across various sectors including metals, machinery, transportation and logistics. Operating on the principle that everyone has equal rights to education, it develops projects that benefit individuals and society. In this context, BTA organizes the Vocational High School Coaching Program for vocational high school students, and through the responsible citizenship module that forms part of the comprehensive program, it engages students in social responsibility projects. This year, 14 students participated in the Climate Champions project of Yuvam Dünya Association as part of the program. Having completed a 3-week training on climate change and sustainability and becoming "Climate Champions," the students also underwent an intensive 1.5-day trainer training program and became trainers themselves. They shared the knowledge they acquired with approximately 300 students at Gemlik Borusan Primary School, contributing to raising awareness on climate change.

Sustainable education, sustainable climate

Serkan Ürkmez, Borçelik Management Systems Director and Sustainability Leader, stated that they have fully embraced Borusan's sustainability efforts, which comprehensively address climate, human and innovation focus areas, and that they have developed projects targeting these areas at Borçelik. He noted that they implement the Vocational High School Coaching Program, which supports technical and personal development of vocational high school students and creates employment opportunities for them, from a sustainability perspective.

Ürkmez stated that by including Yuvam Dünya Association's Climate Champions project in the program scope, they brought together climate and human focus areas, and continued as follows:

"The first phase of Yuvam Dünya Association's Climate Champions project took place last year with a group of 82 students comprised of the 14-15-16 year-old children of Borusan employees. The children received comprehensive training on climate change and had the opportunity to pass on the training they received to their peers. Inspired by this work, this year we integrated the project into our Vocational High School Coaching Program. While our goal is to support the personal and professional development of our students, we also aimed for them to gain awareness in an area of critical importance such as climate, and to pass on what they learned to their peers and younger friends. We will continue projects that contribute to climate literacy and build bridges among young people."

Adding value to vocational high school students

Under the Borçelik Vocational High School Coaching Program, high school students are matched with coaches and continue their personal and technical training with their coaches until graduation. The program, which expanded its scope through an IBM collaboration implemented in 2021 and now includes 9th and 10th grade students in addition to 11th and 12th grade students, has benefited a total of 640 students from the training. The aim is to prioritize employment of students graduating from the program within Borçelik.