In Turkey, it is the knowledge of English and other popular foreign languages like Arabic that paves the way for well-paying jobs for prospective employees. In Lebanon where people grapple with an economic crisis, Turkish language learning proves helpful in finding jobs.

Courtesy of the Yunus Emre Institute of Turkey, the Lebanese flock to Turkish courses, both for their admiration for the language helped by the popularity of Turkish TV shows and to land jobs. Turkish language courses available in 30 locations across Lebanon helped some 15,000 Lebanese to learn the language in the past 10 years. Some stayed in Lebanon while others traveled to Turkey to use their new language skills for business opportunities like Yumna Farasha.

Farasha, who studied civil engineering in Lebanon, now runs a company in Istanbul. "I have been to Turkey many times since 2007 as my father is a businessman and frequent traveler. I loved Turkey very much and always dreamed of living here. But I needed to learn the language to fulfill this dream. I was looking for a place in Beirut to learn Turkish when I came across Yunus Emre Institute," she told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Wednesday. After two years of education, including a stint at a Turkish language course in 2015 in Turkey, Farasha relishes the experience. "I didn’t know much about Turkish culture. I learned about it as well. After the port explosion in 2020, I decided to settle in Turkey," she said. One year on, she started her own business, offering consultancy for foreigners seeking to establish companies or invest in Turkey. "We have similar cultures and I am glad of the good treatment by everyone in Turkey. They are warm, charitable people," she said. "I feel lucky to be in Turkey," she added, pointing out the ongoing economic crisis and low job prospects in Lebanon.

Ahmad Canbay is another new resident of Istanbul hailing from Lebanon, thanks to Turkish language classes he took in Lebanon’s Beqaa. He did not know a single word of Turkish when he first visited Turkey in 2009 and after a few months, he left, pursuing jobs in other countries before returning to Lebanon in 2016. He enrolled in a Turkish class that year before joining the Turkology department of a Lebanese University. "After I learned Turkish, I asked a friend what I can do with this skill. We decided to partner for setting up a company in Turkey one year ago. We are now working on imports and exports. We export coffee to Turkey and import textiles, shoes and machinery," he said. "Knowledge of Turkish is a great advantage for business. I have some friends back in Lebanon who want to found companies here but they can’t because they don’t speak the language," he said.

Tamem Mahair, a graduate of mechanical engineering, was seeking a job after graduation but to no avail. "I had free time and decided to enroll in Turkish classes. It was rather a hobby at first," Mahair, who later traveled to Turkey to advance his knowledge. Upon return to Lebanon, he attended Turkology courses at the university and graduated after three years. Mahair now earns a living by teaching Turkish to fellow Lebanese and Arabic to Turks.

Sabreen Gadiah credits her love for Turkish TV series with her passion for the Turkish language. "I was learning a bit of Turkish by watching TV shows. When I found out about the institute, I decided to give it a shot. I took Turkish classes three years ago and I'm still learning new things," Gadiah said. Two years ago, she saw a job posting at the Turkish Embassy and landed a job at the visa office of the embassy.