A Grand Gathering to Mark the 50th Anniversary of Balıkesir Vocational School: Industry and Academia Under One Roof

Balıkesir University (BAÜN) Balıkesir Vocational School marked its 50th anniversary with a “Career, Employment and Entrepreneurship Fair”. The event brought students and industry representatives together, creating a strong environment for interaction in both academic and professional terms. The event was opened with the participation of BAÜN Vice-Rectors Prof. Dr Cevdet Avcıkurt, Prof. Dr Murat Doğdubay and Prof. Dr Fatih Satıl. Following the company stand visits, the event—which began with opening speeches by Vice-Rector Prof. Dr Fatih Satıl and Director of Balıkesir Vocational School Assoc. Prof. Dr Fatmagül Tolun—attracted a great deal of interest.

Strong participation from nearly 40 companies

Around 40 companies and organisations took part in the event held at the BAÜN Atatürk Congress and Culture Centre, setting up stands. Representatives from various sectors discussed career opportunities with the students and held one-to-one meetings regarding internship and employment opportunities. The participating companies included many leading organisations operating in the fields of industry, technology, manufacturing, services and entrepreneurship. The fair stood out as one of the most concrete examples of university-industry collaboration.

Leading Experts in Their Fields Gathered on the Panel

As part of the event, a panel discussion was also held, moderated by Mert Kurşun, with Ebru Has, Levent Karan, Hasan İçöz, Betül Kurşun and Batın Demircan as speakers. The panel discussed topics such as career planning, the expectations of the business world, the entrepreneurial ecosystem and young people’s adaptation to the sector. Experienced panellists in their respective fields shared not only theoretical knowledge with the students but also examples from their own career journeys.

The workshops organised as part of the event by Hansu Academy and the Design Department of Balıkesir Vocational School of Higher Education attracted a great deal of interest from students.

Taking Strong Steps Towards the Future with Half a Century of Experience

The event, held as part of the 50th-anniversary celebrations of Balıkesir Vocational School, laid the groundwork for the establishment of lasting ties between students, academics and industry representatives. The fair served as a significant milestone in the students’ career journeys, whilst once again demonstrating the school’s vision of carrying its half-century of educational experience into the future.