The Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences (FEAS) and the Entrepreneurship and Career Development Application and Research Center of Afyon Kocatepe University organized the “Career Day” events.
The first session of the event featured an opening panel titled “Employment and Entrepreneurship Opportunities on the Career Path” as part of the “Career Day.” The panel, held in the Prof. Dr. Sabri Bektöre Conference Hall, was attended by AKU Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Şuayıp Özdemir, Dean Prof. Dr. Gökhan Demirtaş, Prof. Dr. Fikret Yaman, as well as sector representatives, academic staff, and students.
In his opening speech, Dean Prof. Dr. Gökhan Demirtaş stated that the aim of the events held as part of Career Day was to enable students to have direct contact with sector representatives. Demirtaş noted that around 30 institutions and companies participated in the event, saying, “One of the most valuable aspects of today’s sessions is that our faculty’s graduates are among our speakers. We are very proud to see the successes our graduates have achieved in different fields. With a long history of over 50 years and more than 18,000 graduates, our faculty continues to make significant contributions to our country’s human capital. As we do today, we will continue to cooperate with our graduates and benefit from their valuable insights at every opportunity in the future.”
“We aim to facilitate students’ paths to employment”
In the panel moderated by AKU Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Şuayıp Özdemir, it was stated that they aim to facilitate students’ access to employment by bringing candidates and employers together through “Career Day.” Özdemir noted that the university has a special job postings page accessible only to students and recent graduates, and advised students to take advantage of the opportunities offered.
“We Enhance Your Business Establishment Capabilities with Our Trainings”
Murat Kahraman, the Afyonkarahisar Provincial Director of the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Development and Support Administration, stated that they support the journey of entrepreneurship from “seed to tree.” Saying that they stand by entrepreneurs in every process, from the business idea stage to global competition, Kahraman added, “We enhance your business establishment capabilities with our traditional and advanced entrepreneurship trainings. We provide financial support for your needs, especially in manufacturing, software, and R&D sectors, including machinery and equipment, personnel, and software.” Osman Köprücüoğlu, the Provincial Coordinator of the Zafer Development Agency , noted that grant support ranging from $15,000 to $50,000 will be offered to women and young entrepreneurs under programs financed by the World Bank. Köprücüoğlu drew attention to the dynamism in the gaming and software sectors, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary thinking for the students.
“We Stand by Entrepreneurs”
Zafer Technopark Project Specialist Hasan Korkmaz provided information about the tax exemptions offered by Technoparks to R&D and software-focused projects. Korkmaz stated, “We provide support equivalent to the gross minimum wage for two years for the employment of graduates from basic sciences. This reduces the cost of personnel to almost zero for the company. Furthermore, we stand by entrepreneurs with VAT, Income Tax, and Corporate Tax exemptions.” Turkish Employment Agency Specialist İhsan Aladağ stated that students can enter the workforce before graduation through the job and career counseling services offered by the institution, and that support continues with unemployment benefits and workforce adaptation programs.
“Banking is a ‘Relationship Method’”
The event continued with a panel titled “Careers in the Banking Sector,” moderated by Research Assistant Dr. Özgür Aydoğuş from the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Department of Economics. Mahmut Kartal, Branch Manager of Garanti BBVA and a 2025 graduate of Afyon Kocatepe University’s Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Business Administration Department, advised students to set goals, complete internships, and obtain sector-related certifications. Kartal stated that banking is no longer just about giving and receiving money, but about “relationship management.” İlyas Yazıcı, Branch Manager of Vakıf Katılım and a 2006 graduate of Afyon Kocatepe University’s Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Business Administration Department, recommended that students gain international experience and focus on learning English. Yazıcı also touched upon the challenges of customer interaction, saying that “conflict management” and “patience” skills are vital in this profession.
“Setting goals is important”
Yasin Kulaksız, Chief Inspector of the State Audit Board and a 2006 graduate of Afyon Kocatepe University’s Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Finance Department, also provided information to students about KPSS A Group Career Professions in his talk. Kulaksız stated that setting clear goals and regularly reviewing progress towards those goals is critically important for a successful career. He also noted that the education he received at the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences and the guidance provided by the faculty played a significant role in his career success. Kulaksız added that students should effectively utilize the opportunities offered during this process.
Following this, the panel titled “The Role of Artificial Intelligence Technology in Employment and Career” was moderated by Dr. Ertuğrul Ergün, Head of the Informatics Department at Afyon Kocatepe University, while Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erhan Ünal, Director of the Vocational School of Information Technologies, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gür Emre Güraksın, Head of the Computer Engineering Department, participated as speakers.
Speaking at the opening of the panel, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatih Özdinç, Head of the Management Information Systems Department, stated that artificial intelligence is now a tangible reality at the center of life, and that students are being prepared for current technologies through IT collaborations at the university. Moderator Dr. Ertuğrul Ergün summarized the historical development of artificial intelligence, stating that these technologies are no longer just tools, but stakeholders transforming ways of doing business. Ergün pointed out that artificial intelligence carries serious risks alongside its opportunities, and that a strategic approach is needed to address threats such as job losses in some professions, ethical issues, and job cuts, all stemming from increased productivity.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gür Emre Güraksın stated that with the increase in data worldwide, artificial intelligence has become a tool for generating meaning from this data, and that its capacity to transform data into information and strategy offers opportunities for all disciplines.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erhan Ünal, on the other hand, views artificial intelligence not as a threat but as a powerful learning opportunity, stating that successful professionals of the future will be those who can collaborate with this technology, not compete with it, and that this transformation must be embraced.
As part of the event, in the session titled “Our Graduate Tells His Story: The Role of Student Societies in Careers,” entrepreneur Ali Erişti, a 2009 graduate of the business administration department, met with students.
“Clubs and student communities provide skills in communication and teamwork”
In his opening speech, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences lecturer Dr. Koray Gürpınar stated that university life is not only about academic success, but also about developing one’s social, cultural, and professional aspects simultaneously. Gürpınar noted that student societies play a significant role in acquiring skills critical to the business world, such as leadership, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving, and emphasized the importance of students actively participating in the learning process rather than passively.
“Let’s be on the side of the doer, not the observer”
Entrepreneur Ali Erişti stated that actively participating in student communities during university years, instead of focusing solely on classes, is crucial for career development. Sharing examples from his own experiences, Erişti emphasized that opportunities come to those who take action, not those who wait, and underlined the need for students to be “on the side of the doer, not the observer.” Drawing on his experiences during his university years, his Erasmus experience, and his entrepreneurial journey, Erişti noted that careers are actually shaped before graduation, highlighting the importance of the “don’t wait for opportunities, create them” mentality.
The event concluded after Afyon Kocatepe University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Şuayıp Özdemir and Afyon Kocatepe University Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences Dean Prof. Dr. Gökhan Demirtaş and their accompanying delegation visited the opened stands and took commemorative photos.
