Metro Istanbul, one of the affiliates of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, signed a comprehensive cooperation protocol with Beykoz University in order to train qualified workforce for the sector.. Metro Istanbul, the leading brand of urban rail systems with 34 years of management experience, is starting the Rail Systems Basic Education Certificate Program with Beykoz University, the only university in the city to provide education in the field of Rail Systems Management, which will train qualified workforce for the sector.
The Cooperation in Education Protocol between Metro Istanbul and Beykoz University was announced on Thursday, July 13, with the signing ceremony held at Metro Istanbul Alibeyköy Campus. With the certificate program to be organized within the scope of the cooperation protocol; It is aimed to train qualified workforce for the sector in the fields of train driver, station supervisor, command center expertise needed in rail systems management and to enable young people to be interested in rail systems.
A New Program for Sector Needs
Metro Istanbul and Beykoz University, which gives priority to women in the certificate program, offer participants a wide range of training opportunities from road-line information to power information, from signaling to integrated management information. Speaking within the scope of cooperation, Beykoz University Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Durman stated that they are extremely excited about the certificate program; “As Beykoz University, we have been raising graduates with the qualifications needed by the business world and society since 2008. In addition, we continue to contribute to the development areas that individuals, institutions and organizations need with the trainings we organize under the roof of our Lifelong Learning Center. With this certificate program, which we have implemented together with Metro Istanbul, we aim to both train the well-equipped workforce needed by the sector and contribute to the development of the sector in the field of rail systems management. With the certificate program to be implemented with Beykoz Logistics Vocational School Rail Systems Management Academics and Metro Istanbul Academy Experts, it is aimed to train the qualified workforce needed in order to develop the urban, national and international rail systems transportation and transportation sectors, which are among the basic values of Beykoz University. After 5 weeks of intensive theoretical and field training, the participants will be equipped with economic, administrative and communicative skills; In today's society, which has become increasingly multicultural with the effect of globalization, they will be able to offer their skills to the service of the society and the sector in the national and international environment; Developed skills in adapting to change, decision making and problem solving and learning; As entrepreneurial individuals, we aim to complete this program.”
This Collaboration Will Determine the Future of the Industry in the Golden Age of Rail Systems in Istanbul
Ozgur Soy, General Manager of Metro Istanbul; “Istanbul is known all over the world as 'the city that built 10 subways at the same time'. Our Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem İmamoğluWe are making a sound all over the world not only with the new lines built during the 's period, with the awards we received in the field of operating quality, with the projects and consultancy works we carried out all over the world, and with our domestic tramway vehicle TRAM34, the pride of our R&D Center. This period will be referred to as the golden age of Istanbul's rail systems in the future.
We know that with the rapidly developing revolutionary technologies, some professions will disappear and new professions will be born. We believe that the future of transportation is in the rail systems, so professions in this field will be among the rising stars of Turkey and naturally the need for trained workforce will arise.
The 'Metro Istanbul Academy' that we opened a short time ago was born out of this need. Here, we provide theoretical and applied courses in order to train technical staff for the sector and to ensure the development of our current employees. By making an agreement with the UITP Academy (International Public Transport Association), we carried our trainings to an international platform. On the other hand, we develop projects to make our cooperation with high schools and universities sustainable.
In parallel with this vision, we are launching a certificate program with Beykoz University. Within the scope of the training cooperation protocol we have made, theoretical trainings will be given within the university, while practical lessons will be held at Metro Istanbul Academy by our trainers at our stations and workshops.” said.
Emphasizing that Metro Istanbul has received various awards and set an example for its work on gender equality and women's employment, Özgür Soy said, “Metro Istanbul, which operates in rail systems, which is a male-dominated sector, is taking important steps with the gender equality movement it has started. Increasing the number of female employees in the sector at a high rate, Metro Istanbul both inspires and encourages all women. We think that this certificate program will be a good opportunity for women who want to pursue a career in the rail systems industry.” he stated.
Soy said, “Young people are not interested in rail systems in their career choices, they are not at the top of their preferences. In particular, women do not think or dream of planning a career in the field of rail systems. We aim to diversify our work and to cooperate with universities in technical and engineering fields in order to make young people more interested in the field of rail systems, which is the transportation mode of the future, and to include them in their career preferences. We are working to develop cooperation not only with universities, but also with vocational high schools, starting from one step ahead.
Unfortunately, rail systems are not among the priorities of high schools and universities. We would like to thank Beykoz University, which saw the need for qualified workforce in our sector and established the rail systems management department. We wish the Rail Systems Basic Education Certificate Program to be beneficial.” he said.
The Way to Choose the Right Person for the Right Job Is Through Education
Speaking at the cooperation signing ceremony held at the Metro Istanbul Alibeyköy Campus vehicle maintenance workshop, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Secretary General and Metro Istanbul Chairman of the Board of Directors Zeynep Neyza Akçabay said, “As Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, we make great efforts for the professional development and employment of young people. We have created employment for approximately 117 thousand people in regional employment offices.
In Metro Istanbul, we have recruited approximately 2019 people since 1200. It is very difficult to find the workforce that is trained in a specific field such as rail systems ready from the market. We know that the way to choose the right person for the right job is through education. Considering the lines to be opened in the next 5 years, we can say that Metro Istanbul has a great employment potential. We are actually investing in the future of rail systems through our collaborations with universities. With this signature we signed on behalf of Metro Istanbul, we are implementing an important platform to develop the ecosystem of the sector. With the vision we have put forward in recent years, not only Metro, but all IMM and its subsidiaries have become an attractive employer for young people. Because we do not tell young people to train themselves with a simple approach and then come to us. By reaching out, we are putting opportunities in front of them so that they can acquire the desired skills in the areas we need.”
About Rail Systems Basic Education Certificate Program
It includes the structuring and implementation of the processes related to the Rail Systems Basic Training Certificate program, which includes basic training in training the operating workforce such as train drivers, station supervisors, and command center staff needed by rail system operators.
• The training period for the Rail Systems Management Certificate is structured as 5 weeks.
• The training consists of 7 different modules. These modules are;
1. Road-Line Information,
2. Power Information,
3. Signaling Information,
4. Rail System Vehicle Information,
5. Business Information,
6. Integrated Management System,
7. Organizational Culture and Teamwork.
• Within the scope of the certificate program, a total of 60 hours of training will be given, including 20 hours of theoretical training by the university and 80 hours of field training by Metro Istanbul. Metro Istanbul areas will be used for field trainings.
• Participants are expected to comply with a total attendance requirement of 70%, separately for theoretical and field training.
• The training of the first 5 modules on rail systems will be given by the expert trainers of Metro Istanbul Academy. The training of the two modules on quality and personal development will be given by the lecturers appointed by the university.
• This certificate program will be opened to applications by Beykoz University as of September.
• The first program will start in October.
• Within the scope of this cooperation, Metro İstanbul employees will be included in the trainings of the university in the next stages, and the trainings given under the umbrella of Metro İstanbul Academy will be ensured to have an academic discipline.