Seeking Strategic Partners to Empower Craft Clusters through VET, Green Skills & Digital Capacity Building

ANKESOB – Ankara Union of Chambers of Tradesmen and Craftsmen represents over 100 chambers, supporting 150,000+ SMEs and tradespeople. Our mission is to strengthen the vocational, social, and digital resilience of Türkiye’s traditional and emerging crafts sector.

We are the largest craft and micro-enterprise cluster in Türkiye, with a strong ecosystem of public stakeholders, vocational schools, apprenticeship centers, and municipal partners. We serve as a regional interface for inclusive policy-making, SME support, and green transition initiatives.

ASES Training and Consultancy Ltd., an active member and training partner of the ANKESOB cluster, supports EU-level cooperation through the design and implementation of innovative VET, digital transformation, and capacity-building projects.

We are looking to build lasting partnerships with:

• EU/Asian clusters, chambers, business networks, or associations working with SMEs/artisans

• Vocational education institutions, apprenticeship centers, or digital training hubs

• Municipalities, development agencies, or other local/regional public bodies

• NGOs, social enterprises, or innovation-driven companies aligned with our mission

Our goal is to jointly develop EU-funded projects, expand cross-border networks, pilot innovative VET models, and co-create inclusive training platforms.

We are especially interested in partnering around the following areas:

• Green Skills & Circular Crafting: Eco-innovation, sustainable production, and low-carbon crafts

• Digital Transition for Artisans: Use of AI, digital twins, e-learning, and smart production tools

• Vocational Training & Apprenticeship Innovation: Micro-credentials, RPL, digital badges, etc.

• Inclusive & Gender-Responsive Capacity Building: Targeting NEETs, women, refugees, and rural youth

• Internationalisation of Craft Products & Services: Joint fairs, certification schemes, and B2B connections

We’re open to becoming:

• Core partners in strategic EU projects

• Local coordinators for pilot implementation

• Hosts for cross-border events or study visits

• Knowledge providers in areas of RPL, inclusion, or green transition

• Bridge builders between the artisan economy and emerging EU policy fields