How do young people in Çorum weigh jobs against the future? SEGE, TÜİK labour and migration data on the psychology of staying in or leaving an industrial city.
A few months after the graduation ceremony, the same question arrives at the dinner table: "What are you going to do? Are you staying here?" When young people in Çorum plan for jobs and the future, they find themselves pulled between two strong forces. On one side is a growing industrial city with full organised industrial zones and record exports, their own home town; on the other is a city where wages remain low, friends are moving to Ankara one by one, and the feeling that "there's no job for me here" is often voiced. In this article we read Çorum's economic data and migration figures through the eyes of young people, and then look at the psychological weight of the "stay or leave?" decision and how to cope with it.
Young People Looking for Jobs in Çorum: What Do the Figures Say?
A rising industrial city
According to the SEGE-2025 study by the Ministry of Industry and Technology, Çorum ranks 43rd out of 81 provinces in the socio-economic development index (SEGE). In the 2011 and 2017 studies it was 50th, so it has risen seven places. This rise is driven mostly by the "competitive and innovative capacity" dimension, where Çorum ranks 20th. In exports per person, according to TÜİK (Turkish Statistical Institute) data for 2024, it is second in Turkey with 6,654 US dollars.
The industrial infrastructure is also full. According to May 2025 data from the Central Black Sea Development Agency (OKA), about 94% of the plots in the province's three organised industrial zones (OSBs: Çorum Merkez, Sungurlu and Osmancık) have been allocated, and a second OSB is being planned. Machinery manufacturing, casting, flour-mill machinery, food processing and clay- and stone-based industries are among the leading sectors.
But income and participation lag behind
The same picture has another side. According to news reports citing TÜİK's 2024 provincial gross domestic product data, income per person in Çorum is around 10,000 dollars, putting the province 55th out of 81; the Turkish average, according to regional accounts, is 15,325 dollars. The SEGE-2017 report also highlights that average daily earnings in the province remain low. In SEGE-2025, Çorum ranks 51st on employment and 52nd on education.
Labour market indicators look positive at first glance: in 2024, the unemployment rate was 6.15%, below Turkey's 8.7%. However, according to news reports citing TÜİK provincial tables, in 2023 the labour force participation rate was 48.13% (Turkey: 53.3%) and the employment rate was 44.3% (Turkey: 48.3%). In other words, low unemployment may partly reflect the large share of the population who are not looking for work and are outside the labour force.
Young people, and young women in particular
Up-to-date youth unemployment figures are not published at provincial level; however, 2021 data for the TR83 region (Samsun, Tokat, Çorum and Amasya), which includes Çorum, give some idea. According to a 2023 study by Mek, the unemployment rate in the region among 15–24-year-olds was 24.0% for women and 12.4% for men. Among university graduates, unemployment was 19.9% for women and 7.3% for men with the same level of education.
Migration figures
According to TÜİK's 2025 internal migration data, 1,840 people left Çorum "to find a job or set up a business", while only 1,203 arrived for this reason. Finding a job is the largest net loss in migration out of the province (−637), followed by "better housing and living conditions" (−605). Migration for education, on the other hand, is balanced: 3,327 people left for education and 3,330 arrived. The main direction is Ankara: in 2024, 8,386 people moved from Çorum to Ankara.
OKA's 2015 social analysis noted that migration was concentrated in the 20–24 age group and that "people with vocational training in particular migrate because of low wages in the local market".
The limits of the data
No up-to-date data on "brain drain" specific to Çorum, nor any recent breakdown showing the age and education of those who migrate, could be found. Youth unemployment and female unemployment data refer to the region, not the province. Income per person and labour force data are based on TÜİK tables reported through the news.
Why Does an Industrial City Struggle to Keep Its Young People? A Sociological Reading
The figures reveal a contradiction: production and exports are strong, but the city's pull on young people is limited. Possible factors that may explain this include:
A mismatch between the type of work and expectations. Industry creates jobs mainly in areas such as machinery, casting and manufacturing. A university graduate, however, is often looking for a job in their own field, a white-collar role or one that offers room for growth. The perception that there are more such options in big cities fuels migration.
The pay gap. Low average earnings strengthen the expectation of doing the same job for higher pay in a big city. How much of that difference will be eaten up by the cost of living in the big city often becomes clear only after the move.
Social life and peers. Çorum's median age is 41.3 (Turkey: 34.9). In an ageing city, young people may feel that there are fewer suitable social settings, activities and peers. As friends leave, the feeling of loneliness can also grow among those who remain.
Ankara's proximity. The scale of migration to Ankara, the familiar network built by those who went before and the ease of travelling back and forth make leaving seem less risky.
There are strong reasons to stay as well. Seeing only the factors that push people away would be incomplete. It is often said that in Çorum the cost of living is lower than in big cities, family support is close at hand, and owning a home and getting to work quickly are more achievable. Full OSBs and planned new investments make staying in the city an option, especially for young people trained in technical fields. The fact that, in TÜİK data, migration to "return to family or home town" is the only major category in which Çorum makes a net gain (+863) also shows that some people choose to come back after experiencing life in the big city.
Family and traditional expectations. In some families, young people are expected to stay in the home town and be close to the family; in others, they are expected to "study and find a good job in the big city". Either expectation may clash with the young person's own wishes.
Stay or Leave? The Psychology of Job Decisions for Young People in Çorum
The weight of indecision
The period after graduation falls within what developmental psychology calls "emerging adulthood", a stage marked by exploration and uncertainty. At this stage, big decisions about identity, career and where to live often have to be made at the same time. Both staying and leaving involve a loss; this is why the decision is often drawn out, and the longer it drags on, the more anxiety grows.
The feelings of those who stay
Young people who stay in their home town may sometimes feel "left behind". Watching the lives of friends in big cities on social media can feed comparison and a sense of inadequacy. On the other hand, young people who consciously choose to stay may see being close to their family, a lower cost of living, a familiar environment and the chance to take on responsibility quickly as important gains. Staying becomes heavy only when it is experienced as an "obligation".
The feelings of those who leave
For those who leave, the first years can bring loneliness as well as excitement. In a new city, rent, long commutes and an unfamiliar work environment can sometimes replace the expected freedom with fatigue. The sense of responsibility towards parents left behind can also turn into guilt. We look at these two sides of the decision to migrate in detail in our article on the psychology of deciding to migrate.
Middle paths
There are also more and more options between staying and leaving. Remote or hybrid working arrangements allow young people in some professions to keep a job based in a big city while living in their home town. Some young people plan to gain experience in a big city for a few years and then return home with their savings. These middle paths can reduce anxiety by softening the idea that the decision has to be made "for ever".
The additional burden on young women
Regional data show that educated young women find it much harder than men to get a job. This can feed thoughts such as "I studied but it was no use", pressure to marry or to wait, and a sense of learned helplessness among young women. For some young women, leaving is a search for independence; for others, it may be a step their family does not approve of.
Both staying and leaving involve a loss; what matters is that the decision is made by your values, not by your fears.
Let us imagine a young person who has just graduated in mechanical engineering and receives a job offer from a foundry in Çorum; in the same week, they are invited to an interview with a company in Ankara. The job in Çorum is secure, close to family and can start straight away; the job in Ankara is uncertain but looks "bigger". Their mother wants them to stay, while their friends say, "Don't waste your time here." In this fictional example, what the young person really needs is not so much to find the right answer as to clarify their own priorities.
Young People in Çorum Making Decisions About Jobs and the Future: Practical Suggestions
For young people
- Take the decision out of "all or nothing". It is possible to stay or leave for a set period and then reassess. The belief that the decision can never be reversed makes anxiety worse.
- Write down your values. Income, being close to family, career development, social life, owning a home... Which of these really matter to you? Compare this list with both options.
- Gather information rather than relying on assumptions. Research the cost of living, commuting times and actual wages in the big city; also find out about the development opportunities offered by the sectors in Çorum.
- Limit comparison. The lives you see on social media are other people's selected moments; they cannot be compared with your life as a whole.
- Talk about your worries about the future. Anxiety is very common in young adulthood; our article on young people's worries about the future may help you understand this feeling.
For families
- Do not treat your young person's decision as a test of your own expectations; accept that it is their life.
- Avoid extreme statements such as "If you go, you'll have abandoned us" or "If you stay, you'll never amount to anything".
- If they are leaving, talk together about how the bond will continue; if they are staying, talk about how they can find room to live as an independent adult.
- Support them in gathering information during the decision process; helping them meet people from different sectors among your acquaintances can help them turn anxiety into concrete information.
For institutions
Internship, mentoring and career development programmes for young people offered by employers, and social and cultural spaces in the city where young people can come together, can turn staying from an obligation into a genuine option.
When Should You Seek Professional Support?
Making decisions about the future is challenging for everyone. However, it may be helpful to talk to a professional in the following situations:
- If being unable to decide has gone on for months and is paralysing your daily life
- If anxiety about the future is disrupting your sleep, appetite and relationships
- If thoughts such as "Nothing will ever change" or "I'm a failure" have become constant
- If you are in constant conflict with your family over this issue
- If loneliness and listlessness have not eased for weeks after moving
If you have feelings of hopelessness, thoughts that life is meaningless or thoughts of harming yourself, this is an emergency: call 112 (emergency services) or reach out to someone you trust straight away.
How Are Career and Migration Decisions Addressed in Therapy?
In therapy, the aim is not to make the decision for the person, but to help them make it more clearly and with less anxiety. In cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), thoughts such as "If I make the wrong decision, my life will be ruined" or "If I stay, I'll look like a loser" are examined, and thinking errors such as catastrophising, mind reading and comparison are identified. Through problem-solving and values-based decision-making work, the options are weighed up more realistically.
From the perspective of early maladaptive schemas, patterns such as feeling obliged to meet the family's expectations or fear of failure can also shape the decision; recognising them makes it easier for the young person to hear their own voice. Where needed, sessions held together with the family can help both sides talk about their expectations in a healthier way. Individual therapy, available face to face in Çorum or continued online after moving to another city, can offer a space for support during this period of transition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do young people leave Çorum?
According to TÜİK's 2025 migration data, the largest net losses in migration out of the province are in the categories of finding a job and better living conditions. Wage levels, the expectation of finding work in one's own field, social life and Ankara's proximity are among the possible factors.
If unemployment in Çorum is low, why does it seem hard to find a job?
The unemployment rate only takes into account people who are looking for work. In Çorum, labour force participation and employment rates are below the Turkish average; in addition, the type of jobs available may not match every young person's expectations.
Is staying in my home town a failure?
No. Staying or leaving is not in itself a measure of success. A decision made consciously and in line with your own values and circumstances is more fulfilling, wherever you end up living.
When does indecision become a problem?
If indecision goes on for a long time, comes with anxiety, sleeplessness and withdrawal from life, and starts to disrupt day-to-day functioning, talking to a professional can help.
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Eda Erkan Alapala
Klinik Psikolog. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Tezli Yüksek Lisans mezunu; bilişsel davranışçı terapi, çocuk merkezli oyun terapisi ve çocuk-ergen psikoterapisi alanlarında eğitimlerini tamamlamıştır.
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