Orphans to participate in tourism sector
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Sedat Kirt
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Ocak 07, 2009 00:00
MARMARİS - The tourism industry in Marmaris is starting a new employment strategy by signing an agreement with the Social Services and Children Protection Institution, or SHÇEK.
The founding father of the project is İlhan Açıkgöz, the head of the Southern Aegean Hoteliers’ Association, or GETOB.
Reacting to the lack of constant staff in the industry, Açıkgöz has searched for a long time for ways to keep experienced and educated staff in his hotels and has found a solution that is beneficial both for employers and staff. The staff will come from the SHÇEK.
As a state institution, SHÇEK is responsible for raising children who have been orphaned so they can grow to become significant members of society. Within this duty, the institution provides children aged 13 to 18 years with professional education before they start living on their own.
Within this arrangement, İlhan Açıkgöz will supply these children with tourism education for two years and then employ them in his group of hotels for at least three years. The contract between SHÇEK and the hotels’ management will guarantee each new staff member three years employment. Likewise, the hotel will have the young educated staff for the same period. After three years, both sides will be able make their own agreement if they want to continue working together.
An important byproduct of this arrangement is the application of tax laws; employers will deduct the total amount of the salaries of the children from income tax paid to the Finance Ministry.
Açıkgöz, who runs five star hotels in Marmaris, Fethiye and Antalya, is preparing to receive young people from five different orphanages within Turkey and will start their education and training in 2009. As the head of the hoteliers’ association, Açıkgöz wants to be a good role model to colleagues by planning and realizing this new employment strategy that guarantees long term, educated and experienced staff for the hotels. He said social responsibility was the most important aspect of the project to him.
"The happiness of bringing young orphans into society by giving them an education and a profession ranks above all other benefits of the project," he said.
Reacting to the lack of constant staff in the industry, Açıkgöz has searched for a long time for ways to keep experienced and educated staff in his hotels and has found a solution that is beneficial both for employers and staff. The staff will come from the SHÇEK.
As a state institution, SHÇEK is responsible for raising children who have been orphaned so they can grow to become significant members of society. Within this duty, the institution provides children aged 13 to 18 years with professional education before they start living on their own.
Within this arrangement, İlhan Açıkgöz will supply these children with tourism education for two years and then employ them in his group of hotels for at least three years. The contract between SHÇEK and the hotels’ management will guarantee each new staff member three years employment. Likewise, the hotel will have the young educated staff for the same period. After three years, both sides will be able make their own agreement if they want to continue working together.
An important byproduct of this arrangement is the application of tax laws; employers will deduct the total amount of the salaries of the children from income tax paid to the Finance Ministry.
Açıkgöz, who runs five star hotels in Marmaris, Fethiye and Antalya, is preparing to receive young people from five different orphanages within Turkey and will start their education and training in 2009. As the head of the hoteliers’ association, Açıkgöz wants to be a good role model to colleagues by planning and realizing this new employment strategy that guarantees long term, educated and experienced staff for the hotels. He said social responsibility was the most important aspect of the project to him.
"The happiness of bringing young orphans into society by giving them an education and a profession ranks above all other benefits of the project," he said.