• On Saturday, April 13, 2024, the second edition of the WorldSkills Confectioners-Patissers and Bakers Competition took place in Cluj-Napoca.
• This was organized by WorldSkills Romania, in partnership with Bakery School Romania, Technological High School "Marin Grigore Năstase" Tărtășești, Technical College "Raluca Ripan" Cluj-Napoca, and hosted by the Puratos Innovation Center Cluj-Napoca, with the support of Techno G and La Casa.
• The competition, based exclusively on practical contest tests, developed according to international standards in the confectionery and bakery industry, brought together 17 competing students from 10 high schools in the country, who were trained by the cordoning teachers.
• Bakery School students also won the podium in Confectionery and Bakery and will represent our country, in September, at the WorldSkills Lyon 2024 International Trade Olympiad.
• The WorldSkills National Batch of Confectioners-Patissers and Bakers was formed, which will be trained by WorldSkills International experts in training competitions held outside the country.
Cluj-Napoca, April 13, 2024 – Bakery School students won all three places on the podium of the WorldSkills Competition Confectioners-Patisseri section. 1st place was won by Matei Natalia Irina, 2th grade student of "Raluca Ripan" Technical College Cluj-Napoca, student of Bakery School Cluj. Dumitrache Andreea and Burlan Georgiana from the "Marin Grigore Năstase" Technological High School in Tărtășești (both students of the Bakery School Tărtășești) placed 3nd and XNUMXrd, respectively.
In the Bakery category, the first two places were won by the students of the Bakery School from Tărtășești - Technological High School "Marin Grigore Năstase", respectively by Stoica Mihai Alexandru and Tudorache Iosif Pavel, and the third place by Lovinescu Ariton Alexia, a student of the Vasile Lovinescu College " from Fălticeni.
Competition for high school students
The second edition of the WorldSkills Competition for Confectioners-Patissers and Bakers took place in Cluj-Napoca on Saturday, April 13, 2024. It is aimed at high school students who are studying the confectionery and bakery industry and want to pursue their passion at the level of excellence .
Structured in two sections - Confectioners-Patissers and Bakers -, the competition offers young people the opportunity to demonstrate their acquired skills and knowledge, being challenged to solve practical contest tests in a predefined time such as making three types of tarts (confectioners- pastry chefs) or baking a Cinnamon Roll, a Fougasse bread and a cheese (bakery), but also to demonstrate skills such as attention to detail, critical thinking, working under pressure, decision-making. In the opening of the II edition, on April 12, was organized, according to WorldSkills international standards, the familiarization and knowledge day, both of the competitors and of the work space.
"For almost 4 years, our students have been proving how beautiful and cool this job is. But above all, from the future! Qualifying, for the second consecutive year, at the international Olympiad gives us the impetus to continue investing in the future of these children and, implicitly, in the future of the workforce in this industry.
Puratos Romania has invested over 350.000 euros in the two Bakery School schools, in Tărtășești, Dâmbovița county, and in Cluj-Napoca, over the last four years. And the first generation of students graduated last year. We are proud to announce that many graduates are already working in the industry and have a promising career ahead of them,” said Andreea Ciocănescu, Puratos Romania Marketing Manager.
The winners of this edition, evaluated by juries made up of professionals from the confectionery and bakery industry, teachers, are:
Confectioners-Pastry Chefs:
- 1st place: Matei Natalia Irina - "Raluca Ripan" Technical College Cluj-Napoca (and Bakery School student)
- 2nd place: Dumitrache Andreea – "Marin Grigore Năstase" Technological High School, Tartășești (and Bakery School student)
- 3rd place: Burlan Georgiana – Technological High School "Marin Grigore Năstase" Tărtășești (and Bakery School student)
Bakers:
- 1st place: Stoica Mihai Alexandru, "Marin Grigore Năstase" Technological High School, Tărtășești (Bakery School student)
- 2nd place: Tudorache Iosif Pavel, Marin Grigore Năstase Technological High School, Tartășești (Bakery School student)
- 3rd place: Lovinescu Ariton Alexia, "Vasile Lovinescu" College, Falticeni
The winner of each section will represent our country, in September, at the WorldSkills Lyon 2024 International Crafts Olympiad. With this final, the WorldSkills National Batch of Confectioners-Patissers, respectively Bakers, was formed. The students ranked on the podiums of each section will be trained by Cristina Oșan (confectionery) and Ciprian Dinu (bakery), WorldSkills International experts, in training competitions held outside the country.
List of participating schools:
- Technological High School of Trades and Services – Buzău
- "Mihai Viteazul" Technical College - Oradea
- "Dumitru Moțoc" High School of Tourism and Food - Galati
- "Hermes" Economic College - Petroșani
- "Cezar Nicolau" Technological High School - Brănești
- "Raluca Ripan" Technical College - Cluj-Napoca
- "Marin Grigore Năstase" Technological High School - Tartășești
- "Virgil Madgearu" Economic College - Iasi
- "Vasile Lovinescu" College - Fălticeni
- "Emil Negruțiu" College - Turda
The jury consisted of:
1. Confectionery-Pastry Section
- Laura Stan – University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca
- Pavel Andra – Nadiniere Confectionery
- Ioana Romanescu – Cupcake Philosophy
- Irina Gavrila – Techno G
- Flavian Dobre – PASTICKERIA Flavian Dobre
2. Bakers Section
- Ion Daniel – Casa del Pan Bakery
- Irina Gavrila – Techno G
- Simona Chiș – University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca
- Marius Sandor – At Home
,, We believe that this competition highlights the bakers and confectioners of tomorrow and that it shows the whole society how far you can go professionally in these fields. It is enough to follow your passion and let yourself be guided by the experts in the field.
We are already preparing the first intensive training sessions and the first international training competitions for the first 3 students ranked in each section, who are now forming the National WorldSkills Batch of Confectioners-Patissers and Bakers. As in the case of performance athletes, the training of national team members continues even after winning the national phase of the competition. We know how important the involvement and work of the coordinating teachers in technological high schools is in discovering and polishing these talented young people. That is why, through our current and future projects and programs, we want to continuously support them in their work.", said Simona Păcurar, WorldSkills Romania organizer and project manager.
The WorldSkills competition, organized in partnership with Bakery School Romania, "Marin Grigore Năstase" Technological High School Tărtășești, Dâmbovița county, "Raluca Ripan" Technical College Cluj-Napoca and hosted by the Puratos Cluj Innovation Center, is registered in the 2023 National School Competitions Calendar -2024, no. 24750/29.01.2024 and is found in position 11, chapter O Vocational and technical education, point 1 School competitions by fields/Studies.
About the WorldSkills Romania Foundation
WorldSkills Romania Foundation supports professional performance among young people, for personal success and the development of Romania by:
- promoting excellence in the professional field;
- providing relevant learning experiences in various professional fields;
- facilitating collaboration between the various organizations involved in supporting the orientation, training, integration and professional development of young people, for a better correlation between the education system and the labor market.
The vision of WorldSkills Romania - every young person discovers and develops their professional potential, thus contributing to a better world.
WorldSkills programs and projects are implemented in Romania based on protocol no. 15310 of 25.10.2021, concluded between the Ministry of Education and the WorldSkills Romania Foundation.
About Bakery School Romania
Bakery School Romania is the first dual system school in Romania dedicated to bakery, pastry and confectionery. In partnership with the Technological High School "Marin Grigore Nastase" from Tărtășești and the Technical College "Raluca Ripan" from Cluj-Napoca, Puratos Romania through the Bakery School invests in the professional development of young generations without access to educational resources, who aspire to a promising future.
The mission of Bakery School Romania – With each graduating generation, we aim to significantly increase the number of qualified and well-trained professionals in the field. Teenagers have access to scholarships, mentors, state-of-the-art laboratories, top-quality ingredients, competitions to motivate them and adequate representation on the job market.
About Puratos
Puratos Group is one of the most important global producers of raw materials for the bakery, pastry and chocolate industry. The company was founded in Belgium in 1919, with headquarters in Brussels, has over 9.000 employees in 71 countries, owns 63 production units and 88 innovation centers, offering customers quality and nutritional ingredients adapted to local requirements. Puratos products are sold in over 100 countries.
Puratos Romania offers raw materials for the food sector and specialized services to its customers in the industrial, craft and retail sectors through a network of 10 branches nationwide and through the two innovation centers, in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca, intended for product testing and innovative ingredients.
The company was founded in 1995, in Bucharest, currently having a production unit in Ilfov county, with three distinct production lines (margarine line, pastry and bakery powder line, respectively a line for fruit fillings, creams based on water and glazes) and 150 employees. Puratos Romania is one of the main players in the ingredients sector for the food industry, with an extensive portfolio of dedicated products.
Press release
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