Minister Işıkhan attended the “Ministerial Meeting at WorldSkills Summit 2026” in Shanghai, China

Minister of Labour and Social Security H.E. Prof. Dr. Vedat Işıkhan paid a visit to Shanghai, China to attend the “Ministerial Meeting at WorldSkills Summit 2026” and to hold various talks.

Delivering a speech within the scope of the theme ‘Forming Lifelong System of Vocational Skills Training for a Digital and Smart Future’ at the meeting, Minister Işıkhan conveyed his pleasure in participating in the crucial summit organized in Shanghai.

Thanking People’s Republic of China for their hospitality, Minister Işıkhan congratulated the Government of China and Minister Wang on the organisation of the event and opening ceremony.

Drawing attention to the fact that digitization, artificial intelligence and green transition have changed labour markets more swiftly than ever, Minister Işıkhan continued his speech as follows: “At present, we are searching for an answer to the question ‘How can we prepare our people for the changing skill needs throughout their lives?’ We can take correct steps so long as we view artificial intelligence as a tool augmenting human capacity, not an option replacing humans.    In this regard, upskilling and reskilling must be central pillars of our national policies.”

Pointing out that skills policies are now the basic condition for competitive power in economy and social welfare, as also emphasized in OECD Skills Summit organized in İstanbul last April, Işıkhan stated, “Thus, OECD PISA 2025 results recently announced put forward Türkiye’s resolve in the fields of education and skills development. In a period when scores recede on a global scale, Türkiye raised its points in science, maths and reading skills as a whole and became the only OECD country to heighten its points in all three fields over the past decade.”

“We put AI-Supported Skills-Matching Tools into Effect by means of ISKUR”

Emphasizing that Türkiye adopted a holistic approach directly locating skills at the centre of its employment policies under the leadership of Distinguished President H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Minister Işıkhan went on his speech as follows:

“We put AI-Supported Skills-Matching Tools into Effect by means of our public employment agency ISKUR. We are building a robust and future-oriented bridge between educational and working life, via our Vocational Competence System. We are following with appreciation the visionary steps taken by China, our host, in digital transformation and vocational education, greatly valuing their experience-sharing in this field on a global scale.  We regard this conference as a significant opportunity to share our experiences and further enhance our international cooperation in the field of skills transformation.  A smart future can by no means be built solely with smart machines. This future shall be built by persons who learn, generate innovations and utilizing technology to enhance their capacities. The most competitive countries of the future will not be only those possessing cutting-edge technologies. The countries which possess the real competitive power will be those offering their citizens the opportunity of lifelong learning and adaptation to the changing world.

At the end of his address, Işıkhan stated that no one is left behind of technological transformation, conveying his hope that a skills ecosystem centred on humans will be formed altogether.

Within the scope of his meetings in China, Minister Işıkhan held a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Labour, Skills and Innovation of Malawi H.E. Mr.  Joel Chinago. At the meeting, the possible steps targeting the future, concerned particularly with working life and employment were addressed.

Within the scope of WorldSkills Summit 2026, Işıkhan also met with the Minister of Labour and Vocational Training of Cambodia H.E. Mr. Heng Sour.

Within the scope of his official visits in China, Minister Işıkhan paid a visit to the Consulate General in Shanghai. Congratulating Ambassador Selçuk Ünal, Consul General Özlem Kural and the personnel on their ongoing efforts for the enhancement of relations between Türkiye and China, Işıkhan wished them success in their endeavours.

Meeting also with Turkish business persons and representatives of NGOs in Shanghai, Minister Işıkhan was informed on the social, cultural and financial demands of the citizens therein.