Graduation of 28 ‘Atelier La Lorraine’ students in Romania
Official ceremony with one final test to pass!
The first schoolyear of our new ‘Atelier La Lorraine’ project in Romania comes to an end… and we’re proud to announce that 2 classes of food industry technicians & bakers graduated! In total 28 local students followed a specific LLBG program, complementing their existing high school education with baking and technical skills, thereby shaping them for the future (and a possible career within LLBG). Now it’s time for vacation… and for preparing the next schoolyear, during which we will be scaling up with two additional classes!
Shaping the bakers of the future
Earlier this year, LLBG announced the launch of a new ‘Atelier La Lorraine’ project. Together with La Lorraine Romania, we set up a collaboration with two high schools (Emil Negrutio college and Victor Ungureano college), complementing their existing educational programs with an LLBG specific curriculum. Through Atelier La Lorraine, we want to shape the bakers of the future and attract new talent, by creating access to quality education for all youngsters – especially the less privileged.
One last test to pass
Several colleagues from La Lorraine Romania (Dan, Sorina, Catalin) coached the youngsters during practical classes on technique & bakery. Besides sharing hands-on knowledge, we also provide the students with a first working experience through summer internships at our production plant and jobs at the end of the program. As part of the graduation ceremony, the students had to pass one last test: baking an artisan bread & a technical exercise to develop a traffic light system for the new warehouse. They passed the test!
Sorina Crisan – HR Manager La Lorraine Romania
“It is important to be involved in the education of youngsters, to ensure that they get the chance to become qualified professionals and responsible adults. Our dream became reality during the graduation event: when asked about what they were feeling in this very moment, the children’s answers were: ‘respect, team, family, gratefulness'. For the moment, we did our job and we have already started preparing for the schoolyear 2023 – 2024, scaling up with two additional classes!”
Nele Van Malderen – Chief Communication & Sustainability Officer
“I’m very impressed by our first Atelier La Lorraine project in Romania, giving young adults the opportunity to get an education, gain practical experience in our bakery plant and prepare them for the step to professional life. We know as LLBG that we can only grow as a company if our people can grow, and we hope to welcome some of these students in our expanding bakery plant in Romania soon. This first pilot will also inspire many other LLBG plants to develop more Atelier La Lorraine initiatives for youngsters. They are the future!”