Ford Otosan, Turkey's leading automotive manufacturer, shared the tangible workplace outcomes of its Supported Employment Program, demonstrating that neurodivergent individuals can sustainably and safely participate in heavy industrial operations. Executed in collaboration with the Tohum Autism Foundation and with the institutional support of İŞKUR, the program integrates job task analysis, workplace coaching, and team readiness.
Held at the Eskişehir Plant—the exclusive production center for Ford Trucks—the showcase was attended by Osman Özdemir (Human Resources and Transformation Leader at Ford Otosan), Ömer Gezer (Deputy Provincial Director of İŞKUR Eskişehir), Elif Karabulut (Employment and Career Director at Tohum Autism Foundation), Arzu Demirel (President of IMPACT2030 Turkey), and corporate delegates.
Measured Progress in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Assembly
Key milestones from the Eskişehir facility include:
Timeline: Field execution officially commenced on December 1, 2025.
Operational Deployment: Three neurodivergent employees currently operate in the Truck Assembly section under the on-site guidance of a dedicated job coach.
Skill Progression: Initially assigned to one or two assembly tasks, the employees expanded their operational competency to six or more processes within six months.
End-to-End Methodology: Incorporates task analysis, tailored person-job matching, peer-team alignment, continuous coaching, and structured performance tracking.
Executive Statements
Osman Özdemir, Human Resources and Transformation Leader at Ford Otosan:
“At Ford Otosan, we take pride in translating inclusive employment into an actionable, measurable, and sustainable model on the shop floor. We regard the Supported Employment Program not merely as a recruitment initiative, but as an approach that transforms job design, team culture, and the workplace environment simultaneously. The outcomes observed in Eskişehir prove that neurodivergent colleagues can deliver permanent, high-quality contributions to production when the right support mechanisms are established.”
Elif Karabulut, Employment and Career Director at Tohum Autism Foundation:
“Within the supported employment methodology, we integrate task analysis, job matching, coaching, team preparation, and ongoing monitoring. Our joint implementation with Ford Otosan provides a powerful demonstration that neurodivergent individuals can maintain a permanent and skilled presence in demanding manufacturing environments.”
About Ford Otosan and Tohum Autism Foundation
Ford Otosan: A publicly traded joint venture between Ford Motor Company (41%) and Koç Holding (41%). It serves as Ford Europe’s largest commercial vehicle production base, operating across Kocaeli, Eskişehir, Istanbul, and Craiova (Romania). The Eskişehir Plant is the only automotive facility in Turkey producing vehicles, diesel engines, and powertrains in a single hub.
Tohum Autism Foundation: Established in 2003, this non-profit institution specializes in the early diagnosis and specialized education of children with autism spectrum disorder. Having provided education to 2,700 children at its school, it has reached over 2.8 million individuals across nationwide and international programs.
