Baking for Independence

The Careus Foundation's certification training program has been deeply rooted for many years, grounded in the belief that a professional license is more than just a piece of paper—it is a gateway to occupational dignity. Moving beyond traditional baking and retail services, seed instructors in the northern region spent a full year preparing to officially launch the "Class C Beverage Preparation Certification Program," aiming to craft extraordinary lives for individuals with disabilities through refreshing beverages.

This certification journey has been far from easy, serving as a race against time and memory. The curriculum was tightly structured, ranging from 6 sessions totaling 18 hours of academic preparation at the foundation to 8 sessions totaling nearly 60 hours of practical training at Hungkuang University, followed by at least 3 intensive review sessions and mock exams.

This year, four participants from various roles took on the challenge: the first serves as an administrative assistant, whose meticulous nature ensures precise movements; the second is a full-time retail staff member at the Minsheng store, capable of managing sales and independent order processing; the third is a part-time staff member at the New Taipei store, responsible for packaging, cutting bread, and enthusiastic customer greeting; and the fourth is a sheltered employee at ENJOY Taipei Restaurant, eager to win professional recognition behind the familiar bar.

During instructor demonstrations, everyone watched with intense focus, some recording with phones and others taking notes. When instructors magically completed beverages, amazed gasps of "Wow!" filled the room. During hands-on practice, participants transitioned from initial caution to proudly exclaiming, "I made this!" One participant even practiced cutting fruit platters at home, sharing the results. This fearless enthusiasm for learning remains deeply moving.

Registration was completed in mid-April, and the late June certification exam will test the sweat of the past six months. Witnessing their increasingly fluid movements and focused smiles deeply reflects that individuals possess infinite potential. Gratitude goes to them for revealing the most beautiful layers of life, with high expectations for creating new possibilities together in the June exam rooms.

Xiao-Pei (pseudonym) always struggled significantly at work in the past. With only her left hand being fully agile, she frequently needed to spend much more time than others. Many steps requiring both hands presented immense challenges for her, causing her to lose confidence in herself for a time.

Later, she came to the sheltered workshop. During bread packaging tasks, her colleagues did not rush her; instead, recognizing her difficulties, they prepared suitable assistive devices for her. These devices, though seemingly simple, were tailored like an "Easy Packaging 2.0," featuring clamps to secure bread bags and auxiliary tools to facilitate single-handed folding creases.

Xiao-Pei began learning to package bread using these assistive devices. Although she was initially unskillful, through repeated practice and continuous encouragement, she gradually found her rhythm. Slowly, she became able to smoothly complete bread packaging, with the outer appearances growing increasingly neat and even producing work praised as a "100-point" masterpiece.

At that moment, Xiao-Pei was deeply moved. Not only did she learn vocational skills, but she also regained her confidence, understanding that with the right methods, she could equally achieve her best.