Contribution of vocational training courses arranged by İŞKUR to employability of women

When considering vocational training systems of developed contries in the world, it is conspicuous that vocational training is an extremely important social policy instrument for ensuring employability of labour force. If structure of labour in these countries is examined, it appears that working population in the labour market is made up of persons came from vocational education system and women employability rate is high. In Turkey, which has considerably low rate of women employment when compared to EU countries, even though it is accepted by everyone that vocational education system is an important element for ensuring desired level of employability, required importance has not been given to that issue and effect of vocational education to employment has not been analysed adequately. For that reason, this study aims examining relationship between women employment and vocational trainings realized by ISKUR arranging vocational training programs according to labour market needs. Also contributions generated by these trainings to women employment are aimed to be revealed.In this study, it is aimed to show an approach to the issue within the context of vocational education, vocational training courses, women labour force, employment and employability concepts. On the other hand, general structure of women employment in the labour market and obstacles hindering employability of women were mentioned. Some evaluations were made related to operating of vocational trainings arranged by ISKUR within the scope of active employment measures since 1988, training programmes, views of participants to these courses and monitoring features for them. Also some statistical figures were presented about what kind of activities were made for women in the courses and projects carried out by ISKUR.This study is mainly based on literature scanning and statistical data analyses. It has been faced with some constraints such as lack of sufficient and reliable statistical data about participants to vocational trainings according to gender mainstreaming basis, lack of studies about employment and employability according to the vocational trainings basis, and inadequate monitoring of participants succesfully graduated from these courses. For more creditworthy evalution for the analyses about women employability, it is focused on trainings arranged by ISKUR in just 2009. This method ensured to focus on more variables (women participant, graduates, employment, waiting time, period of staying at the job, sectors, vocations etc) in our study.This study shows that ISKUR is one of the main institutions contributing to gender mainstreaming in the labour market by arranging courses and projects up to the present. Because getting women into labour market and placing them in decent works are not only strengthen these women but also effect society in positive manner. However ISKUR, which has contributed importantly to women employability, when necessary, should decouple its data with related issues according to gender mainstreaming basis and carry out required analyses. This will improve productivity of studies of ISKUR and facilitate planning of the studies encouraging women employment.