By Timothy S. Donahue
Top Takeaways:
- Workforce pipeline: The DR’s new Tamboril Tobacco School has graduated its first 127 students, more than half of whom have already been hired.
- Industry partnership: The initiative, led by INFOTEP and PROCIGAR, aims to address labor in one of the world’s largest cigar-producing countries.
- Economic impact: The Dominican tobacco sector supports more than 122,000 direct jobs and generates over $1.34 billion in annual exports.
The Dominican Republic is investing in the next generation of premium cigar makers.
The National Institute for Technical and Vocational Training (INFOTEP) and the Association of Dominican Cigar Manufacturers (PROCIGAR) have graduated the first 127 students from the Tamboril Tobacco School, a workforce development initiative that trains skilled employees for the country’s growing premium cigar industry.
According to the organizations, 72 graduates have already secured jobs at cigar manufacturers, while approximately 20% of the remaining graduates are expected to enter the workforce in the near future. The inaugural class included 78 women and 49 men who completed training in premium handmade cigar production, tobacco crop pest management, customer service, personal development, and conflict management.
INFOTEP Deputy Director General Luis Manuel Rodríguez, representing Director General Maira Morla Pineda, stated that the program addresses one of the industry’s most pressing needs.
“The 78 women and 49 men receiving their certificates today have acquired skills in premium handmade cigar manufacturing, tobacco crop pest management, customer service, personal development, and conflict management—competencies that are enabling them to enter the workforce quickly,” a release stated.
Rodríguez added that manufacturers, including La Aurora, La Flor Dominicana, and Davidoff, along with several other premium cigar producers, have already hired graduates of the program.
PROCIGAR President Ciro Cascella described the graduation as an important milestone for the industry’s future workforce. “Every certificate we present today is much more than a piece of paper; it is living proof of men and women who have chosen to embrace a noble profession—an art that is a source of national pride and that places the Dominican Republic firmly at the pinnacle of the premium cigar world,” Cascella stated.
Cascella said the partnership between PROCIGAR and INFOTEP aims to support the long-term sustainability of an industry that employs thousands of Dominicans. “The companies that make up PROCIGAR have their doors open to welcome the first of many participants who will continue to graduate from the Tamboril Tobacco School,” he stated.
The school was championed by former PROCIGAR President Litto Gómez and is supported by the Dominican Tobacco Institute (INTABACO) as part of broader efforts to ensure the industry’s skilled labor pipeline keeps pace with rising global demand for premium handmade cigars.
The Dominican Republic remains the world’s largest exporter of premium cigars. According to industry figures, the country hosts about 75 cigar factories, supports more than 122,000 direct jobs, and generates annual cigar exports exceeding US$1.34 billion. The municipality of Tamboril in Santiago Province is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading centers for premium cigar manufacturing, with many of the industry’s best-known brands operating production facilities there.
