From Dough to Hope: Hopes Rise in Bornova
Young People Gained Vocational Skills Through Job-Guaranteed Course
Young participants who successfully completed the Job-Guaranteed Pastry and Bakery Course—organized by Bornova Municipality in cooperation with the Izmir Confectioners and Bakers Chamber and the Izmir Soroptimist Club—received their certificates at a ceremony held at the Evka-3 Kitchen Workshop.
With the slogan “From Dough to Hope,” the course aimed to provide vocational skills to young people between the ages of 18 and 35. A total of 38 trainees—34 women and 4 men—participated in the program. Conducted in two weekday groups (morning and afternoon), the training totaled approximately 300 hours. Upon completion, participants earned certificates qualifying them as journeymen in the field.
Mayor Eşki: “It’s a great joy to grow together in this field”
During the ceremony, Bornova Mayor Ömer Eşki expressed his happiness about the trainees entering the workforce:
“Thank you for your hard work and dedication. It’s a great pleasure for me to be here with you after such a valuable training. One of the things I enjoyed most during my time as mayor has been night-time bakery inspections. My main goal was to ensure hygiene in food production spaces. I hope you will also prioritize this in your careers. It’s wonderful to hear that some of you have already signed job contracts. You will bring joy to people’s lives with your desserts and keep your workplaces clean. I thank everyone who contributed to this project. It brings us great happiness to be part of this field that grows drop by drop, and to see your efforts play a role in it.”
Chamber President Esen: “We’ll be by your side as long as we live”
İhsan Esen, President of the Izmir Confectioners and Bakers Chamber, shared his satisfaction with the successful completion of the course:
“We began this journey about four months ago and carried out a wonderful, successful training. Today, we are reaping the rewards of that effort. We started with 42 participants and are proud to graduate 38 of them. Past graduates have found good jobs and even opened their own businesses. We keep in touch with them. As long as we live, we will stand by your side, even in your hardest times. I wish you all successful careers.”
Soroptimist Club President Özüner: “Your path is bright—we are proud”
Beril İşçioğlu Özüner, President of the Izmir Soroptimist Club, expressed pride in the progress and success of the trainees:
“We are all very proud. We started with hope, and today we see that hope was well placed. Many of you are beginning new jobs, which gives us even more optimism for the future. It was a joy to witness your learning journey. You have applied what you learned with great success. We believe this special project will grow and reach even greater heights. Wishing you all the best—so glad you are with us.”