Kastamonu University continues to train qualified human resources for the wood and furniture sector with the "Furniture, Education, Design, and Product Development" project, led by Associate Professor Dr. Önder Tor from the Department of Forestry Engineering, in line with its vision of specialization in forestry and nature tourism. 

The project implemented at our university's Wood Culture Application and Research Center allows students to reinforce their theoretical knowledge through practice and contributes to the industry's need for skilled personnel. The project, supported by our university's Specialization Coordination, aims to provide students with field experience in technical equipment and production culture, explicitly targeting the development areas of the furniture sector in the TR82 region. 

In the project, students from different faculties, primarily Forest Industrial Engineering, directly participate in the product design and production processes using machines commonly used in the industry.While explaining the project, Assoc. Prof.Dr. Önder Tor, a faculty member of the Department of Forestry Engineering and Project Coordinator, emphasized that the lack of qualified personnel is central to the development limitations faced by the furniture sector. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tor stated, "Kastamonu is one of the leading cities in Türkiye regarding board production." However, the furniture production sector is not fully utilizing this potential. The lack of a qualified workforce is one of the biggest obstacles to development. "We aimed to provide qualified human resources to the sector with this project," he said.

Stating that the design workshops and application areas established within the project scope provide students with production practice, Tor also mentioned that they are directed toward design registration and utility model applications for the products. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tor said, "With the support of our university's Technology Transfer Office, the production outputs of our students are also protected by intellectual property rights." He stated, "We will continue these kinds of practices in the short, medium, and long term." Stating that at least 60 students have directly benefited from the project so far, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tor added that the center could also create training programs for students, industry professionals, and job seekers. 

According to İrem Nur Atan, a second-year student studying forest engineering, participating in the project sparked a passion for entrepreneurship. She added, "I was interested in the furniture industry, but with what I learned here, I want to turn this interest into an initiative." My goal is to open my factory. 

Another student, Efekan Genç, stated that practical training significantly contributes to developing personal skills, saying, "We are developing our projects and bringing our designs to life." He stated, "This also increases our motivation."