Puratos has opened a bakery school in Ethiopia to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Puratos Bakery School Foundation.

As the thirteenth international school in this organization, the new institution will teach 27 young students from disenfranchised communities, who all officially joined on Nov. 18, the skills needed to work in the bakery, patisserie and chocolate-making sectors worldwide, Puratos said. The school covers a two-year curriculum that delivers comprehensive training and provides approximately 1,600 hours of instruction across 36 subjects, starting with equipment operation and ingredient interaction before advancing to specialized techniques such as chocolate work, bread production and pastry making.

“Over the past 10 years, we’ve witnessed over and over again how quality education creates lasting positive change worldwide,” said Jean-Philippe Michaux, chief sustainability and finance officer of Puratos. “From our first school in Mumbai to our newest in Ethiopia, we’re building a sustainable talent pipeline for our industry, while transforming lives. Our graduates are now making their mark in their fields, proving that, when young people gain these specialized skills, they strengthen not only their own future prospects, but also their communities and our industry.”

Prior to opening of the Ethiopia school, the Puratos Bakery School Foundation taught professional baking skills to 484 students. The foundation said it plans to open more schools in 2025 as part of its larger goal of operating 20 schools and training 1,000 students annually by 2030.