Students from the Cerrito Self-Sustaining Agricultural School are taking part in a new edition of the Social Gastronomy program—an innovative educational experience designed to strengthen their skills for employment in the service sector.
The initiative is the result of a joint effort between Fundación Paraguaya and the Social Gastronomy Foundation of Chile, aimed at increasing students’ employability through a mix of theoretical and hands-on training in real-world settings. The first pilot took place between September and October 2024, benefiting 43 third-year students through a combination of online and in-person courses focused on customer service, leadership, teamwork, and food service setup.
During the virtual stage, participants accessed micro-segmented content via the Ñam platform, using a gamified methodology. They then received in-person training from Chilean experts Rafael Rincón and Claudio Leiva at the school’s facilities and the Cerrito campus hotel.
The results of the first edition were overwhelmingly positive: 72% of students rated the training 9 or 10 out of 10, and 83% recommended the course. Most expressed interest in working in the gastronomy sector, either part-time (50%) or full-time (16.7%), and some even considered starting their own business (11%).
The feedback collected from that first experience laid the foundation for the new course, which runs throughout August and involves around 30 students. Improvements include a stronger focus on soft skills, adjusted schedules, and proposals for a future subject called “Restaurant,” which will cover comprehensive restaurant management.
Fundación Paraguaya and the Social Gastronomy Foundation emphasize that partnerships like this help young people develop valuable skills for entering the job market and strengthen the positioning of the Cerrito School Hotel in Benjamín Aceval as a destination for sustainable and gastronomic tourism.
With enthusiasm, dedication, and practical tools, Cerrito’s students are cooking up their own future.