The UX Design Center project has clear objectives aligned with youth employability and the digital transformation of industry.The educational goals focused on enhancing the employability of 60 young people from Sancaktepe Youth Centers by equipping them with UX design skills, soft skills, and mentorship experiences.This aimed to create pathways for internships, jobs, or freelance opportunities in SMEs and the design sector.Strategic objectives included the development of a structured, practice-based UX design curriculum informed by surveys conducted with youth, SMEs, and industry stakeholders.The project also aimed to establish a UX mentorship model, where 10 mentors guide small mentee groups, and to create a digital UX design network that serves as both a resource and networking hub.Additional goals were to strengthen youth-industry connections, promote international collaboration and best-practice sharing, foster innovation and user-centered thinking, and institutionalize UX training within Sancaktepe Municipality’s local development policies. In this way, UX education was integrated into local strategies to ensure long-term sustainability.
The project was developed with a strategic goal to enhance youth employability through education and training in User Experience (UX) Design.UX design is an increasingly in-demand skill across digital, industrial, and service sectors.The project addressed the lack of structured, industry-aligned education and mentorship pathways, particularly those offered in accessible and innovative formats. Many young people, especially those at Sancaktepe Youth Centers and universities, lack practical training in UX design, soft skills, and digital innovation needed in today’s job market.There is a clear gap between education providers and employers in sectors such as manufacturing and design. SMEs struggle to find qualified UX designers due to inadequate integration of cloud-based design tools, limited collaboration between engineers and designers, and insufficient training in emerging software and simulation tools.Existing programs rarely provide mentorship or structured industry experience. This project introduced a mentorship model, where industry experts guided young people in UX design thinking and practical application.