The National Institute of Technical and Vocational Training (INFOTEP), in partnership with the Asociation of Dominican Cigar Manufacturers (PROCIGAR), has officially inaugurated the PROCIGAR–INFOTEP School of Tobacco Artisans in Tamboril, a strategic initiative designed to strengthen workforce development, employment generation, and the long-term sustainability of the Dominican premium cigar industry.
The school responds to a critical need within the sector: the systematic training of new generations of highly skilled tobacco artisans under internationally recognized standards. In its initial phase, the program begins with four groups dedicated to premium cigar manufacturing, benefiting 88 participants. Each group will receive 135 hours of intensive, hands-on technical training covering all stages of production, including tobacco leaf selection and processing, stemming, humidification, blending, bunching, pressing, wrapper application, finishing techniques, and quality control.
PROCIGAR President Litto Gómez emphasized that the creation of the school is rooted in the responsibility of the industry to preserve excellence and ensure continuity.
“This school was born out of necessity,” Gómez stated. “The Dominican cigar industry depends on the knowledge, discipline, and craftsmanship of its artisans. To guarantee quality, prestige, and long-term sustainability, we must train tobacco workers according to international standards established by PROCIGAR. This institution ensures that the art of cigar making is preserved, strengthened, and passed on with excellence.”
Gómez further highlighted the initiative’s social and economic impact, noting that graduates will have access to dignified employment opportunities with competitive incomes within one of the Dominican Republic’s most important export industries.
“These students will not only learn a trade; they will become productive members of society through skilled, honorable work. The tobacco industry creates real opportunities, supports families, and strengthens entire communities while preserving a cultural legacy that is central to our national identity,” he added.
Beyond technical training, the curriculum includes instruction on tobacco culture and its transcendental importance to the Dominican economy. Participants will also be guided under a values-based approach that promotes respect, responsibility, discipline, and courtesy principles considered essential for professional excellence and personal development within the industry.
The PROCIGAR–INFOTEP School of Tobacco Artisans is designed to operate with 24 students per course and offers flexible schedules to ensure accessibility. Classes are held Monday through Friday in morning (8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.), afternoon (2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.), and evening (6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.) shifts, as well as Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
INFOTEP Deputy Director General Maira Morla underscored that the school represents a decisive step in strengthening human capital and generating a direct positive impact on local economies, while municipal and national authorities highlighted the project as a successful model of public-private collaboration.
With this initiative, INFOTEP and PROCIGAR reaffirm their shared commitment to workforce excellence, social development, and the global leadership of Dominican premium cigars, an industry that remains a pillar of the national economy and an international benchmark for quality and craftsmanship.
