Istanbul footwear training

The completion of a Vocational Footwear Training Institute in Istanbul continues. The high school opened in September 2002 and marks a milestone in preparing professionals for a career in footwear technology. The school operates under a bilateral cooperation program with Athens-based Elkede Technology and Design Centre SA and various Turkish sectoral associations and business and educational institutions. Footwear training professional, Peter Racklyeft, is the EU Co-Director of the project. Doctor Ozlem Menderes, head of leather technology and research at Elkede was in Turkey for several weeks giving teachers a grounding on leather technology. Turkish-born shoe designer, Ms Esme Ertekin, recently completed a stint on design for teachers. Equipment is in place and a testing laboratory will be added later this year.