The overall objective of this project was to enhance the institutional capacity of ISKUR (Turkish Employment Organisation) to enable the agency to become a nationally recognised leader in promoting human resource development, and to be able to design, develop and implement effective policy measures and services aligned with European employment strategies.

The project's objectives were achieved in three main ways:

• Institutional building, focusing on both policy development and consolidation of the operational performance of ISKUR;
• Technical and financial management of a €32 million grant scheme for promoting active employment measures, financing the delivery of vocational training for the unemployed and disadvantaged groups in the population;
• Design and construction of 20 provincial employment offices based on an assessment of the needs for expansion or upgrade of the ISKUR office network. The €8 million assigned to this part of the project was used to create a more modern approach to the delivery of employment services.

The grant scheme, which was a major focus of the project, was used to fund the implementation of programmes and actions promoted by employers and local communities to improve employability of people most affected by unemployment. Approximately 250 projects were supported at an average cost of €125,000, with a maximum of €375,000 per project.