In an exclusive interview with defensehere Turkish Deputy Minister of National Defense Muhsin Dere discussed some important topics. In this second part of the interview his excellency talked about TEKNOFEST.
Defensehere.com: What do your excellency think about TEKNOFEST?
Deputy Minister of National Defense Muhsin Dere:
When we look at the progress achieved by developed countries in the field of aerospace technologies, we realize that they continue their scientific studies, which gained momentum in the second half of the 20th century, in a decisive manner. We witness that they have laid the right foundation for necessary infrastructure and human resources as a result of accurate policies and successful planning, and as a result, they have become the countries that have a say both economically and technologically.
We are aware that R&D investments must be made in the right areas, in the right fields, in order for our country to establish the necessary infrastructure for aerospace technologies and to gain sustainable capabilities.
Aerospace technologies require large-scale infrastructure investments and not to forget, their expected economic returns can only be achieved many years after the projects have been initiated. Qualified workforce required for technology acquisition; the desired experience and knowhow of the workforce can only be reached if they had the opportunity to work in a certain field for many years after receiving high-quality education.
TEKNOFEST Aerospace and Technology Festivals were first introduced and began to be organized by the T3 Foundation and the Turkish Ministry of Industry and Technology at a point of need for youth organizations in order to reach young people to form the desired knowhow and human resources, then channeling them to science and technology.
We see that TEKNOFEST, of which we have been a stakeholder as the Turkish Ministry of National Defence for the past three years, has contributed to the social adoption of the National Technology Initiative by reaching the Turkish youth, and by blending the excitement and enthusiasm of our youth with the self-confidence they deserve. For this reason, we think that TEKNOFEST is one of the critical veins that feed the defense industry workforce of the future.