The Opportunity for In-Demand Skilled Talent in a Digitalizing World – Report Project -

The Young Executives and Business People Association (GYİAD) was founded in 1986 as a voluntary non-governmental organization bringing together the intellectual and social capital of the young business community, with the aim of contributing to Turkey’s economic and social development.

Operating to address the needs and challenges of young executives and entrepreneurs, to represent them across various platforms, and to strengthen commercial ties among members, GYİAD focuses on areas such as economy, sustainability, technology, entrepreneurship, academia, and employment through diverse social responsibility projects.

As GYİAD, shaping the future of the business world is at the heart of our vision, with entrepreneurship, digital transformation, education, and employment among our top priorities.

Over the past decade, we have produced research reports that aim to provide data-driven guidance to the young business community, raise awareness on workforce, digitalization, and sustainability issues, and offer subject-specific resources.

Since 2010, through the GYİAD Academy project, we have aimed to instill an entrepreneurial mindset in university students, connect them with real-life experiences, and help them expand their professional networks. We also support young entrepreneurs with mentorship programs and publish case books featuring inspiring entrepreneurship stories to encourage them to become productive individuals.

We recognize that the effective use of artificial intelligence across all sectors is inevitable in the future. In this direction, we have established an AI laboratory in partnership with Istanbul University. Through this lab, we aim to invest in and develop the skills of young talent who will work in the field of AI, contributing to a stronger startup ecosystem and inspiring students to pursue their own ventures.

In today’s world, digital transformation affects not only technological infrastructure but also the structure of the workforce and employment models. Integrating young people into this transformation process is critical for achieving Turkey’s development goals. However, there is a rapidly growing demand for skilled mid-level workers in the production sector, and the current young workforce struggles to meet this demand. This situation clearly highlights a mismatch between education policies and business needs.

In this context, the report titled "The Opportunity for In-Demand Skilled Talent in a Digitalizing World," which we developed in collaboration with KONDA Research, offers a comprehensive analysis of both young people’s perspectives on vocational education and employment, and the current needs of the production sector. The findings of the report provide valuable insights not only in terms of youth employment but also for the future of Turkey’s economic structure.

As GYİAD, we extend our sincere thanks to all our sponsors who contributed to the realization of this report, to our Employment Working Group for their dedicated efforts during the publication process, and to the KONDA Research team for their invaluable collaboration. We hope that this report will serve as a valuable resource for developing strategic recommendations to enhance youth participation in the workforce and act as a guiding reference in a world transformed by digitalization.

We firmly believe that youth are the power shaping the future today. We are fully aware that sustainable growth in Turkey depends on equipping young people with the knowledge, skills, and vision they need—and with this conviction, we will continue our efforts with determination.