The need and importance of F⁴ST in Turkey

Nowadays agricultural, food and chemical engineers, chemists, biologists, veterinarians, fisheries are working in food safety area in Turkey without having a special training on food safety with from farm to fork approach so it resulted that their education programs are not suitable to apply EU legislation. The professionals, who have graduated with the existing education system without integrated approach across the food supply chain, are also not satisfying market demand. The curricula of the Turkish universities are not covering all related food safety courses, such as food microbiology and chemistry, unit operations, food legislation, HACCP, EUREPGAP, GAP, EU legislations, total quality, etc. The only department that has the most related courses is food engineering. However; only 3 universities in Turkey out of 17 have the courses on HACCP. 10 universities have courses on food legislation and 7 universities do not have any of them. Agriculture and animal husbandry practices are also not covered in their curricula. 50% of food engineering graduates do not have any basic knowledge about food legislation. So the need for qualified food safety specialists is not satisfied in Turkey by the existing education system. In accordance with the EU legislations, F⁴ST is proposing an integrated training module in English the official language of EU, for all the partners and even all other EU members. F⁴ST will be the first training model that will satisfy the needs of the whole food chain with easy e-learning module. Employees working in Food industry and Ministries/Municipalities cannot attend a training program for four or five months, an e-learning module will be effective for their continuous training as well.

F⁴ST graduates will have additional training program which focused on filling the gaps during their education compare to other graduates from universities and based on the training needs in EU. F⁴ST graduates will also benefit from the reputation of taking a training program which is funded by EU. F⁴ST is user-friendly e-learning program, so trainees can increase their competencies at most suitable time duration for them by attending e-classes.

Despite the strong need for professionals who have the specialized knowledge on food safety with from farm to fork approach in the market, there are many unemployed university graduates. F⁴ST will allow them a specialization in a new area of work by giving the knowledge of producing a safe and wholesome product for consumers, by teaching how to understand and apply regulations in the food chain, by providing the comprehension of developing the relationship between all stages in the food chain. They can increase their probability of being employed in the target sectors, feed manufacturing, primary animal and fruit/vegetables production, food import and export, food transportation-logistics, food storage companies, food processing and packaging industries, food retailers, hotels and restaurants, state authorities.

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