Turkey has joined the global network of Ecole 42, the world's leading new generation software school, with 42 schools in Istanbul and Kocaeli. Turkey Open Source Platform 42 Software Schools Opening Ceremony was held in Vadi Istanbul on September 7, 2021 with the participation of Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank.
Ecole 42 Schools Director Sophie Viger, who attended the opening ceremony with a video message, congratulated Turkey, which is included in the Ecole 42 network, which continues its activities with 36 campuses in 23 countries, and wished the students success in this exciting journey.
Speaking at the Turkey Open Source Platform 42 Schools Opening Ceremony, Minister Mustafa Varank stated that in 42 Schools designed with an innovative educational approach, students will learn to code and improve themselves through learning and gamification methods, and noted that they are very happy to bring 42 Schools to our country. Minister Varank added that they aim to expand 42 Istanbul and 42 Kocaeli schools, which are planned to be opened on September 27, throughout Turkey.
The target is 500 thousand software developers in 2023
Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank pointed out that the digitalization process has gained a dizzying pace all over the world with the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, and stated that the way of doing business in many fields from education to health, from industry to finance, from transportation to trade has changed with a focus on technology. Noting that software is the most important element in digital technologies, Varank continued his speech by emphasizing that they aim to reach at least 500 thousand software developers in Turkey by 2023:
“Artificial intelligence, cyber security, internet of things, digital platforms, mobile applications and many other technologies are based on software. Therefore, the prerequisite for saying I am in the new order of the digital age is to have a strong army of software developers. All of the countries leading the production of digital technologies today draw attention with their large software developer populations. Therefore, Turkey, which wants to be a producer, not a market for high technology, must create a competent software army. We have already determined this as one of our main goals in the Industry and Technology Strategy, which we have prepared with the vision of the National Technology Move. We foresee that the number of software developers in our country will be at least 500 thousand in 2023.
External dependency on software will decrease
Stating that the Turkish Open Source Platform and the 42 software schools established within it will play a very important role at this point, Varank continued his speech by emphasizing that they would reduce costs by reducing foreign dependency in software:
“We will increase the quality and quantity of our software developers thanks to this platform and schools that bring all relevant stakeholders together. Thus, we will reduce foreign dependency and reduce costs in software used by both the public and private sectors. More importantly, we will eliminate cyber security problems.
There is great cooperation here. Our Ministry, TÜBİTAK TÜSSIDE and Informatics Valley have been coordinating this work since the beginning. Our Istanbul and East Marmara Development Agencies finance the project with the support of 27 Million Liras. On the other hand, our members, who are the leading companies of their sectors, support both educational activities in schools and projects carried out on the platform. Ecole 42, an international brand with 36 campuses in 23 countries, also applies innovative education models in our schools. Our sponsor members also play a facilitating role with the awards, human resources and infrastructures they provide.
Trainings are free, employment opportunities are wide
Minister Mustafa Varank stated that they aim to train software developers who will join the employment market in the fastest way with 42 Schools and continued his speech as follows:
“With this platform, we offer millions of young people the chance to improve themselves. In addition, we provide training models for our young people directly to business life.
42 Istanbul, which we opened today, will serve this purpose. In these schools, where free education is provided, students will learn from each other through projects and gamification without an instructor. Graduates of the equivalents of these educational institutions in the world are the best
employed in institutions. Even in the second year of education, there are many young people who find a job. Our goal here, too, will be to train software developers who participate in employment, rather than raising software developers.
Let's join forces to develop national and original software
Türkiye Açık Kaynak Platformu’nun 42 Okulları öğrencilerinin istihdam olanakları ile buluşturulmasında en önemli destekçisi olacağını belirten Mustafa Varank, ‘’Platform bu hususta gençlerimizin yanında olacak. Eğitim sırasında yarı zamanlı çalışma ve bittikten sonra da tam zamanlı çalışma konusunda destek verecek. Gençlerimiz gerçek projeler ile sektörün değerli firmalarıyla çalışma fırsatı bulacak. Yine platform üye firmaları da öğrencilerle eğitimleri sırasında öğrencilerle tanışabilecek, takip edebilecek ve istihdam etme şansına sahip olacak. Burada herkesin ihtiyacına cevap veren bir eko sistemi beraber inşa edeceğiz. Hedefimiz ülkemizi kritik teknolojilerin üreticisi haline getirmek olacak. 2021 yılının ikinci çeyreğinde %21,7’lik rekor büyüme oranıyla ortaya koyduğumuz tablo açık bir şekilde ortada duruyor. Şunun altını çizerek belirtmek istiyorum. Biz Türkiye olarak büyük işlere talibiz. Büyük işleri gerçekleştirebilmenin yolu ise birlikte çalışmaktan geçiyor. İşin özü iş birliği. Bir nevi kazan kazan anlaşması. İşte bu yüzden ben yazılımcı şirketlere, girişimcilere ve hatta öğrencilerimize sesleniyorum. Sizin bu platforma, bu platformun da size katacağı çok şey var. Gelin hep birlikte güçlerimizi birleştirelim, milli ve özgün yazılımlarımızı geliştirelim’’.
Noting that after 42 Istanbul started training with 400 computers in total in Vadi Istanbul with the venue sponsorship of Evyap, and 42 Kocaeli will start operating as of September 27, Mustafa Varank said that if 42 Schools are efficient, they will be able to operate in different provinces of Turkey. He added that new schools are also planned to be opened.
At the opening ceremony, 42 Istanbul students Rabia Özkan also took the floor and shared her experiences. Stating that he graduated from Medeniyet University Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering this year, Özkan stated that he applied immediately when he learned that 42 Schools would be opened in Turkey, and stated that they had a different and exciting learning experience with the method of helping and learning from each other at school.
Plaques of Appreciation were presented to Founding Members and Sponsor Members
Turkey Open Source Platform 42 Software Schools Opening Ceremony was attended by French Consul General Olivier Gauvin, as well as Elodie Laugier (Head of Economics Department), Solene Permanne (Press Office), ISTKA officials, MARKA Secretary General Dr. Mustafa Kapakoğlu, General Manager of Informatics Valley A. Serdar İbrahimcioğlu and experts from the TÜSSIDE project team also attended. The ceremony ended with the presentation of plaques to the founding members and sponsors of the Turkish Open Source Platform.
At the ceremony, the founding members of the Turkish Open Source Platform, Aselsan Chairman of the Board Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, Baykar Logistics Coordinator Hanceri Sayat, Havelsan General Manager Dr. Mehmet Akif Nacar, Intertek CEO Ömer Uyar, Kuveyt Türk Deputy General Manager İrfan Yılmaz, Koç University Acting Rector Prof. Dr. Zeynep Gürhan Yaşam, Microsoft Assistant General Manager Cavit Yantaç, OBSS CEO Zafer Şen, Turkcell Technology Corporate IT Director Kerem Kızıltunç, Türk Telekom Support Services and Procurement Management Assistant General Manager Dr. Mehmet Beytur, Turkish Airlines Corporate Development & IT Deputy General Manager Ali Serdar Yakut, Turkish Informatics Association President Rahmi Aktepe, TÜBİSAD Board Member Aslı Derbent, TÜBİTAK President Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal, TÜSİAD Board Member Serkan Sevim, Vakıf Katılım IT Director Mehmet Tüm, Agriculture Technology Group Manager Davut Güngör and venue sponsor Evyap's CEO Mehmet Evyap were presented with plaques of appreciation by Minister Mustafa Varank. A souvenir photo was taken with Platform's sponsor members AWS, Veripark, Globalnet, SAP, Profelis.
To watch the Opening Ceremony click here.
For information about Türkiye Open Source Platform click here.
