The Dominican Republic’s cigar industry graduated its first class from the Tamboril Tobacco School, certifying 127 workers trained in premium cigar manufacturing and related skills.
Infotep, the national vocational training institute, and Procigar, the association of Dominican cigar manufacturers, held the ceremony in Santiago. Of the 127 graduates, 72 are already working in the industry. Another 20% are expected to be hired soon.
The school opened in January 2026. La Aurora, La Flor Dominicana and Davidoff are among the companies that have hired graduates.
The curriculum covers handmade cigar manufacturing, tobacco crop pest management and customer service. The school plans to add courses in cigar manufacturing operations, entrepreneurship and personal finance.
The Dominican Republic leads the world in premium cigar production, with roughly 75 factories, 122,000 direct jobs and annual exports exceeding $1.34 billion.
