In a step reflecting its commitment to supporting professional empowerment and enhancing job opportunities, the vocational training center affiliated with the Dan Relief and Development Foundation in the city of Al-Raqqah concluded a specialized professional course in “confectionery and pastry making” after three months of intensive theoretical and practical training, with the participation of 16 female trainees

The course aimed to equip the trainees with basic and advanced skills in the field of confectionery and pastry making, contributing to enhancing their opportunities to integrate into the labor market or launch their own projects. The training program focused on integrated professional practices, starting from the selection of raw materials, through preparation and production mechanisms, to decoration and packaging methods, with full adherence to food and health safety standards.

During the training period, the trainees received intensive practical training focused on mastering the basics of the profession, including identifying types of flour, yeasts, and fats, understanding the chemical interactions between ingredients, as well as acquiring practical skills in preparing various types of Eastern and Western sweets and pastries.
The program also included specialized modules on cost management and product cost calculation to ensure economic feasibility and profitability, in addition to training on occupational safety standards, personal hygiene, and sterilization of tools and the work environment.

The training modules covered three main sections; the first section dealt with pastry and bakery preparation skills, through training on kneading and shaping basic doughs such as the ten-minute dough, brioche, and croissant, as well as learning the secrets of successful fermentation and mechanisms for controlling oven temperatures.
The second section focused on preparing Western sweets, including sponge cake and various cream fillings, in addition to the art of decoration using “mirror glaze” techniques and sugar paste.

In the Eastern sweets section, the participants trained in adjusting the consistency of the sugar syrup (Qatr) to suit each type, such as Basbousa, Knafeh, and Baklava, as well as learning techniques for handling ghee and nuts to achieve the authentic Eastern flavor.

The importance of this profession is highlighted as one of the sought-after home-based professions that enjoys good opportunities within the labor market, making investment in confectionery and pastry-making skills an effective step towards economic empowerment and achieving professional independence for the trainees.

During the course, Dan centers adopted a training methodology based on experiential learning, where the practical aspect took up the largest share of the training hours. They also provided fully equipped workshops with the necessary tools and equipment, giving trainees the opportunity to directly apply theoretical knowledge, along with guidance sessions covering professional ethics and small business management, aiming to prepare graduates capable of entering the labor market efficiently and confidently.

In the second phase of the project, “professional apprenticeship,” the participants will be distributed to shops and centers for the production and sale of sweets and pastries for another three months. In its second phase, the program seeks to provide direct practical training aligned with the needs of the city’s labor market, helping trainees acquire the necessary skills to enter the job market with confidence.

This comprehensive training enhances the participants’ opportunities to improve their economic and professional situations and provides them with the necessary tools to build a successful professional future.