INFOTEP to Train Personnel in the Art of Handmade Shoes

The National Institute for Professional Technical Training (INFOTEP in Spanish) will soon begin a training program for specialized personnel in the art of making shoes by hand. The program, to begin the first week of May, is being carried out at the request of several international companies, such as Timberland, which fill an important need by supplying handmade shoes in Europe, especially in Spain and Italy.

“This program is being supported by the Ministry of Labor and we have managed to get support among the Youth and Labor program. ..”

Director General of INFOTEP, Josefina Pimentel explained that this program will be carried out in coordination with the Ministry of Labor, the Dominican Association of Duty Free Zones (ADOZONA in Spanish) and the Association of Industries of the Northern Region (AIREN).

“This is a project that came about as the consequence of the fact that handmade shoes from the Dominican Republic are considered excellent in Europe and the fact that there is a shortage of workers in this area hence Timberland approached us to get involved in this project. We expect that within a year, we will have trained some 64 people to be making shoes for this company and other international brands that sell handmade shoes,” said Ms. Pimentel

She added that the training program will begin this coming May 4th under the auspices of ADOZONA and the Association of Industries of the Northern Region.

“This program is being supported by the Ministry of Labor and we have managed to get support among the Youth and Labor program. Throughout the training of young people, the Ministry of Labor will pay for their daily meals in an effort to keep them motivated while they are dedicating their time and energy to learning this important skill.  We at INFOTEP will pay part of the facilitators and we will contribute the materials. The business associations will provide the space and logistic support at the site where the training is to take place,” she explained.

Ms. Pimentel said the opportunity to train personnel in this area is a result of the fact that China, one of the main suppliers in the world of handmade shoes, has run into complications in Europe over costs and environmental limitations and restrictions. For this reason, the opportunity to explore new markets, like the Dominican Republic, came about.

“Therefore, having companies here like Timberland that know about the quality of Dominican work which facilitates getting our products on to the international market especially in Europe, gives us the opportunity as a country to take a further step in the direction of this supply chain in international demand,” she explained.

She said that according to how the market demand grows, they will consider whether making this project a permanent training program. “This is a project with a permanent character because we are going to continue training people next year. Dominican handmade shoes already enjoy wide-reaching acceptance in the international market and this is how and why Timberland has demonstrated and expressed interest in our work.”   

Young people who join the program, she explained, will be given the theoretical and practical tools to make an average of 15 to 20 pairs of shoes per day.   

 Josefina Pimentel, Director General of INFOTEP.