Conversations with Turkey's Career Pioneers - Sevinç Atabay

The first guest of this week’s Career Pioneers Talk was Turkish Education Association and TED Ankara College General Manager Sevinç Atabay. Ms. Atabay, who started her talk by introducing herself, shared her regrets on not having worked as a teacher in any of the provinces of Turkey. She stated that while serving on the Ministry of National Education, Board of Education and Discipline, she continued working as an English Language Teacher at the School of Foreign Languages at nights. She also said that while working as a teacher in a state langauge school, she was appointed to Chicago by the Ministry of National Education as an education attache. She told students that when her assignment ended, she was given a one months’ pay as bonus, owing to a letter and report she wrote to the Ministry leading to the closure of the position.

She indicated that after conducting research on occupational training and publishing a book, she left the Ministry of National Education and started working at the Secretariat General for European Union Affairs Community Program. At the same time she continued her work at the Ministry of National Education, Board of Education and Discipline. She stated that she started working as Turkish Education Association and TED Ankara College General Manager following her retirement.

She underlined the need for complementing the education students receive at university with new training in various other areas. Ms. Atabay stated that in this way, students will grow and blossom. She said that anything done with enthusiasm, and excitement is more meaningful and valuable. Atabay emphasized the importance of being well-planned, not moving onto another thing before completing the first one, investing in themselves for awareness-raising, and effective communication. She advised our Faculty of Education students who will be teachers to not just teach students but to also allow them to learn. Ms. Atabay suggested that they never stop learning and that they become teachers who leave a mark on their students’ lives. She ended her speech by suggesting that students read Jacques Ranciere’s book titled “Cahil Hoca”.