Cappadocia Vocational College has based its educational philosophy on the values of the Ahi Tradition*; one of the main elements of its vision is defined as “enriching its educational programs with the methods, approaches, and practices applied in the Ahi organizations of the Seljuk era and the guilds of the Ottoman period, while ensuring that the master-apprentice relationship supports today’s understanding of pedagogy.”

Since its foundation, the college has pioneered projects that combine the master-apprentice relationship with contemporary educational approaches, thereby becoming a leading institution in vocational education through these practices.

At our college, all courses are taught by experts in the field; practical training courses are tracked based on workload and assessed with contemporary evaluation methods.

Our college recognizes that its current success stems from its commitment to the values of the Ahi Tradition and has adopted the principle of continuously developing its educational methods in line with this ethos.
Graduates of our college take their first steps into professional life as skilled practitioners, having been trained within the master-apprentice relationship.

As a symbol of all these practices, during graduation ceremonies, the “apprentices” who have completed their education are girded with the “şed” (belt of mastery) by their “masters.”

* Professional guilds were the main source of urban economic life in the Ottoman Empire, and guild members constituted a large part of the population. Each community of tradesmen gathered under the leadership of an “Ahi” elected from among themselves. This movement, known as Akhism, was a prominent element of Anatolian society in the 13th and 14th centuries.

** In the Ahi Organization, becoming a master and establishing an independent workplace was highly demanding. A candidate, after three to five years of apprenticeship, would undergo an examination and then be honored in the “şed binding ceremony,” performed by the head of the guild as a symbol of mastery. The “şed” is a long woven cloth tied firmly around the waist. The word “şed” means to fasten tightly, to strengthen, and to secure; hence, the ceremony was known by this name.