Türkiye’s Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities, known as YTB, said 115 young engineers qualified for internships at Turkish defense-industry companies under the 2026 Türkiye Internships Program. YTB’s official announcement and an Anadolu Agency report dated August 22 say the program received more than 500 applications this year.
Selection of 115 young engineers
According to information provided by YTB President Abdulhadi Turus, the selected participants travelled to Türkiye and joined internship programs at companies including ASELSAN, Turkish Aerospace Industries, ROKETSAN, HAVELSAN and STM. Participants largely study abroad in countries such as Germany, France, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.
The program covers students in aerospace, software, mechanical, electrical and electronic, and industrial engineering. YTB says candidates passed through a dedicated selection process before accepted students began gaining professional experience at companies in Türkiye. The disclosed figure does not mean that every applicant was admitted.
Professional and cultural activities
YTB’s description says the program is not limited to technical work inside companies. Participants also join cultural activities intended to introduce different Turkish cities and institutions. The agency describes the broader goal as strengthening professional and social links between Türkiye and young members of the Turkish diaspora living abroad.
An opening meeting for the 2026 group was held at YTB, where the young engineers met President Turus. Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Turus said company interest was important to the program and that, including previous years, approximately 375 qualified young people had been included in internship programs.
Company list confirmed by the official announcement
YTB’s announcement explicitly names ASELSAN, Turkish Aerospace Industries, ROKETSAN, HAVELSAN and STM among participating companies. The list does not mean that every participant works at the same institution or performs the same duties. Placements are made within the program’s selection process and according to study fields and company requirements.
Although the defense industry involves sensitive work, the disclosed activity is an education and internship program. The official sources do not say that participants will receive access to classified projects or a guarantee of future employment. Reporting should remain limited to the announced placements, participant count and program objectives.
Scope of Türkiye Internships
Türkiye Internships is designed for university students and young professionals belonging to Turkish diaspora communities abroad. YTB says it aims to help participants gain experience in their fields and build links with institutions in Türkiye. The figure of 115 refers to the internship group selected for the 2026 period.
More than 500 applications indicate that demand exceeded the number of selected places. YTB’s current announcement, however, does not set out application dates or additional capacity for a later round. Future application schedules should therefore not be treated as confirmed until the agency publishes a new official notice.
Confirmed details about the 2026 group
The available announcements show that participants from different engineering disciplines were distributed across several companies. YTB did not publicly identify each student’s assigned company, unit or individual duties. The phrase “internship in the defense industry” also does not mean that participants became employees.
The current reports do not provide detailed internship duration, compensation terms or individual evaluation methods. Claims about those matters would go beyond the published sources. The announcement is a notice that the selected 2026 group has begun the program, not a new application call. Anyone interested in a future round should rely on dates later published through YTB’s official channels.
