STAGE: GPS-Verified Digital VET Internship & Zero-Waste Platform
STAGE is an innovative, location-verified digital internship tracking and management platform designed specifically for Vocational and Technical Education (VET). Developed to modernize work-based learning (İBE) processes, the software ensures transparent, GPS-supported tracking and real-time coordination between students, coordinating teachers, and enterprise mentors.
Key Impacts & Sustainability:
- Green Transition & Zero-Waste: Completely eliminates traditional paper-based internship files, timesheets, and evaluation forms, saving thousands of pages of paper annually and fostering eco-friendly school operations.
- Digital Competence in VET: Bridges school-industry collaboration through an automated cloud platform, enhancing digital workflows.
- Recognition: Awarded by the Kocaeli Provincial Directorate of National Education in the "Those Who Add Value to Education" (Maarif'te Değer Katanlar) initiative in June 2026 as a regional best practice in educational technology and sustainability.
"Vocational education is not just about teaching technology; it is about engineering a sustainable, greener future."
Gökhan EKER
Official website of Bahçecik Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School. Explore our technical departments, laboratories, and educational projects in Kocaeli, Türkiye.
bahcecikmtal.meb.k12.tr
Gökhan EKER
Head of Electronics and Communication Technologies
I am a Master Teacher of Electronic Communications and Head of Department at Bahçecik Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School (Kocaeli, Türkiye), with over 24 years of experience in vocational education and school leadership, including serving as a school principal. I hold a master’s degree with thesis in technology education and have received numerous institutional and provincial awards, including the "Those Who Add Value to Education" award in 2026 for developing innovative digital education software.
My professional expertise bridges digital transformation, IoT, STEM education, and environmental sustainability. Throughout my career, I have coordinated and participated in various European educational projects (including Comenius, ECVET, and European Schoolnet inGenious STEM) across countries such as the Netherlands, Austria, Spain, Sweden, Belgium, and Croatia.
As a certified Project Cycle Management (PCM) and STEM trainer, I am committed to bringing the 'blue' into vocational classrooms. Through the BlueLightS initiative and the Network of European Blue Schools (NEBS), my goal is to engage youth in hands-on citizen science, sensor-based water monitoring, and cross-border eTwinning collaborations to protect aquatic ecosystems.
