The project titled “Competency Bridge: Innovative Career Development Training Based on University–Industry Collaboration in the Digital Ecosystem”, prepared under the coordination of the Pamukkale University Career Planning, Implementation, and Research Center (PAU KARMER), has been approved within the TÜBİTAK 4005 Innovative Education Practices Support Program. Selected from 260 applications nationwide, the project will be implemented under the leadership of PAU Career Planning, Implementation, and Research Center Director Dr. Bilal Göde, in strong collaboration with the Denizli Provincial Directorate of National Education and the Denizli Chamber of Industry.

Designed to provide scientifically grounded contributions to students’ career development by enhancing educators’ up-to-date knowledge and skills in the rapidly changing labor market, the project will bring together 25 guidance counselors from public high schools in Denizli and 25 academics from different units of PAU in an intensive four-day training program. The training content spans a wide range, from AI-supported career tools and future-focused professional forecasting to interview simulations reflecting private and public sector dynamics, and psychological resilience. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to observe lean production and digital transformation processes firsthand during a technical visit to the Denizli Model Factory, reinforcing their theoretical knowledge with practical applications. The project will also prioritize educational equity through accessible career guidance approaches developed specifically for disadvantaged and disabled students.

The project is led by PAU Career Center Director Dr. Bilal Göde and includes experts Dr. Durmuş Çağlar Çakır, Dr. Yılmaz Hasret, Dr. Ayşe Tuncer, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Selenay Koşumcu. The training program is enriched with contributions from senior academics such as Prof. Dr. Ersan Öz, Prof. Dr. Nafiz Arıca, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Yazıcı, Prof. Dr. İsmail Ovalı, and Prof. Dr. Handan Kumaş, as well as field specialists including Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nurten Karacan Özdemir, Dr. Sezgi Akbaş, and Dr. Neylan Zümrüt. Organizational and guidance support for the events is provided by Dr. Cansu Öksüz Karademir, Önder Öğmen, and Yasemin Akın, with health personnel Tuğba Cabbar contributing to the process.

Fully aligned with Turkey’s National Competency Initiative and the objectives of the 12th Development Plan, this project aims to provide a strategic contribution to regional development while establishing a sustainable career guidance model that can serve as a national example.