More than 1500 women have graduated from the Makoi Women’s Vocational Training Centre since its opening in 2015.

The numbers will increase as early as tomorrow as the centre will be graduating batch number 33. To showcase the items prepared by the students during their 10-week programme in sewing, cooking & pastry, the centre held its open day on August 13.

Training Centre manager, Shazna Khan, said the centre hosted an open day for every batch a week before their graduation.

The women learned about customer service, experienced how sales were made, learned costing, and also create saving plans before they graduate.

“We provide free educational opportunities to underprivileged women by offering free courses in sewing, cooking and pastry and caregiving,” she said.

“Participants learn all the basics of sewing and how to alter garments, how to sew, pattern creation, cutting and drafting. In cooking and pastry, they learn all sorts of local and international pastries and dishes,” she said.

“For caregiving, it’s a six-month course; it’s a national certificate in aged care and community care level three.”

The centre had recently partnered with National Productivity Training Centre for their sewing students to undertake their practical attachment, and Holiday Inn and Eden Restaurant to take in the cooking and pastries students for practical.

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