İZMİR'S LABOR MAPPİNG STARTED

In the speech made in TÜİK service building, İzmir Chamber of Commerce Chairman Ekrem Demirtaş stated that unemployment was the most important problem of the country, and according to the official figures, the unemployment rate was 14.4 saying, "This rate is increasing to 16.2 in İzmir. However, in İzmir where there are 227 thousand unemployed people, some sectors cannot find employees. This is the clearest indicator of irregularity in employment. Unemployment is a multidimensional problem with its economical, social, and psychological sides.”
 
Demirtaş reminded that İzmir Chamber of Commerce had organized a search conference in the beginning of the year in order to find solutions to unemployment and it was needed to build a supply and demand profile. He said, “As a result of the intensive studies the research methodology is prepared in one month. The questionnaires are prepared for households and work places. Field research will start immediately after the protocol is signed. İzmir Workforce Market Research will be the biggest regional research on sample dimension that TÜİK has ever made.”

At the end of the study, İzmir’s workforce map will be prepared said Demirtaş. “The amount and quality of the workforce needed in terms of sectors will be determined. The education, experience, and quality of the workforce will be set. Thus, the question ‘In which conditions can the balance between workforce supply and demand will be provided?' will be answered. We will look for solutions according to this. We will create solutions in accordance with the reality instead of assumptions."

İzmir University of Economics Rector Prof. Dr. Attila Sezgin stated that employment was the biggest problem in Turkey and the government and the private sector had to make investments to find solutions. “The sectors must be determined to make investments and it is important to choose maximum employment with minimum cost. This study will be guiding for the universities and education institutions.” said he. He indicated that the research was a first since it handles the workforce both in supply and demand dimension, and same studies would be implemented in other cities.

TÜİK İzmir Regional Director Rıdvan Yaka stated said that they were carrying out a 2-month methodological study for the research that would be executed collectively by four institutions. Yaka stated that they were anticipating to complete the study in 5 months but they were planning to compete in a shorter time and submit to IUE.

Yaka told that in the scope of the research, they chose the households and workplaces throughout İzmir with sampling method. He also gave information about the research saying, “29 different sectors in 88 professions are chosen. They form 94 percent of the total employment. 92 TÜİK personnel including the specialists will visit 3 thousand 800 households and 4 thousand 100 workplaces and gather information. They will take information about occupation, education, and wages. It is important to receive full and accurate information. The research is important to determine the workforce structure in our city and personnel, profession, quality, and education needs of the sectors in order to find solution for unemployment. We wish the people in İzmir would participate voluntarily. If there is no voluntary participation, we will use our right of gathering information given us by the laws.”