ECONOMY SERVICE
Created Date: November 04, 2024 04:00
Under the umbrella of the Transformation Academy, Akbank offers training to SMEs on different topics such as digitalization, green transformation and financial sustainability. Akbank People and Culture Deputy General Manager Pınar Anapa stated that they reached 18 thousand SMEs with the seminars and networking meetings they gave to SMEs to expand their business networks.
AKBANKaccelerated its digitalization efforts with ‘Youth Academy’ and ‘Transformation Academy’. With these projects, the company aims to reveal the high potential that Turkey has. We talked with Pınar Anapa, Deputy General Manager of People and Culture of Akbank, who stands out with these two initiatives for young people and SMEs, about the benefits created by academy investments and the bank’s future goals within the scope of these programs.
We have been following Akbank’s training and development efforts for a long time. What is the founding purpose and general vision of Akbank Youth Academy and Akbank Transformation Academy?
As Akbank employees, we have been working for a long time to constantly improve our competency sets according to the changing world dynamics and to prepare for the requirements of today and tomorrow, and we always try to be one step ahead with different development journeys and programs. We underline the sense of curiosity, continuous learning and multidisciplinarity within the bank. Akbank Youth Academy and Akbank Transformation Academy emerged with the vision of expanding the impact of the development culture within our bank and sharing the experience and knowledge we have gained so far. Transformation Academy aims to guide the digital and green transformation processes of SMEs, which are the driving force of the economy. It offers comprehensive training and mentoring services to ensure that SMEs have a more durable, competitive and sustainable structure, and supports different collaborations, learning from each other and strengthening their position in the market.
Akbank People and Culture Deputy General Manager Pınar Anapa
TRAINING FOR SMEs
Akbank Transformation Academy draws attention with the services it offers, especially for SMEs. Can you give information about the goals of this initiative and the opportunities it offers?
We launched the Akbank Transformation Academy to support SMEs in their digital and green transformation processes. Our goal is to ensure that SMEs survive in global competition and build a sustainable future. Under the umbrella of Akbank Transformation Academy, we offer training to SMEs on different topics such as digitalization, green transformation and financial sustainability. These trainings help SMEs modernize their business processes, accelerate their digitalization journey, and increase energy and resource efficiency. We also organize seminars, networking meetings and events for SMEs to expand their business networks. To date, nearly 18 thousand SMEs have participated in these activities. In 2023, we aimed to accelerate the adaptation and competitiveness of SMEs after the earthquake by focusing especially on earthquake zones and provinces where entrepreneurial women are concentrated.
HARVARD EDUCATION FOR 34 STUDENTS
Which programs stand out at Akbank Youth Academy, how do you contribute to the career development of young people?
At Akbank Youth Academy, we work with young people to co-design the business world of today and tomorrow. We believe in the perspective of young people and care about learning together. We build our programs, which we can make a part of every young person’s development process, on the foundations of maximum inclusiveness and accessibility, and focus on the critical skills that young people may need.
For example, we offer Introduction to Competencies 101 training in cooperation with Microfon. We collaborate with institutions and social enterprises that are experts in their fields, and offer young people various Competency Development Programs lasting up to 6 months in different fields such as technology, analytics, design, finance, innovation and entrepreneurship.
By implementing a Fellowship Program for the first time in the private sector in Turkey, we have demonstrated our claim in this field and continue to produce graduates every year. Akbank Fellowship is a carefully designed transformation program that lasts 10 months. Our program broke a new record with more than 38 thousand applications in its new 4th term. Now we are embarking on an exciting journey with 20 university students. Akbank Thought Club program continues to encourage innovative thinking in its 15th year. Every year, the owner of the best idea and project gets the opportunity to attend Harvard Summer School. To date, 34 students have studied at Harvard Summer School together with Akbank Thought Club. To date, more than 165 thousand young people from all 208 universities in our country have participated in Akbank Youth Academy programs.
165 BINI ASHKIN GENGE IN 3.5 YEARS
What innovations do you plan for Akbank Youth Academy and Akbank Transformation Academy in the future?
As Akbank, our main goal is to constantly expand the impact of both of our initiatives, to diversify our programs with impact-oriented projects and to disseminate them to large audiences.
As I mentioned, we managed to touch more than 165 thousand young people in 3.5 years at Akbank Youth Academy. We will continue to reach more young people and provide them with new competencies through qualified and in-depth development programs. For this purpose, we will diversify our development programs, especially on topics that we will talk about more in the coming period, such as new generation technologies such as artificial intelligence and sustainable finance. It is very important for young people to master these fields in order to gain a competitive advantage in the business world of the future. Simultaneously, we will accelerate our awareness and personal development-focused activities such as ‘wellbeing’ and gender equality.
Source: bigpara.hurriyet.com.tr
