Opportunity 14-24 Program graduates more than 2,500 young people in a historic day
The President of the Republic, Luis Abinader, led this Saturday the fifteenth ordinary graduation of the Oportunidad 14-24 program. Accompanied by the First Lady, Raquel Arbaje, and the coordinator of the Social Policy Cabinet, Geanilda Vásquez, the president witnessed how 2,576 young people successfully completed their technical training corresponding to the first semester of 2026.
This event, which integrated students from the Metropolitan and Eastern regions, covering 10 provinces and the National District, marks an important milestone for the initiative. With this graduating class, the program has managed to exceed the figure of 35,000 graduates since its creation, positively impacting more than 69,000 young people throughout the national territory.
A truly transformative social policy must be able to turn protection into opportunity; opportunity into autonomy; and autonomy into social mobility.
Geanilda Vásquez, Coordinator of the Social Policy Cabinet
Technical training for the future
The graduates received instruction in a wide range of technical specialties designed to facilitate their entry into the labor market or entrepreneurship. Among the highlighted areas are:
- IT and technical support.
- Hospitality, reception, and food and beverage services.
- Gastronomy, bakery, and pastry.
- Residential electricity, accounting, and sales.
- Beauty, hairdressing, and pharmaceutical promotion.
- Multimedia and forklift operation.
Beyond technical training, the program maintains a comprehensive approach through the School Referral strategy. This initiative, executed in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, allows young people who were outside the academic system to resume their studies through flexible modalities such as the PREPARA program.
Social impact and national reach
During the event, Geanilda Vásquez highlighted that the achievements of Oportunidad 14-24 are part of a coordinated government inclusion strategy. As an example of the reach of these policies, it was noted that during 2025, 283 social inclusion sessions were held, benefiting more than 135,000 people with essential health, food, and social protection services.
Currently, the program has 149 training centers distributed across the 31 provinces and the National District. With this network, the Government reaffirms its commitment to continue providing training tools that promote social mobility and better living conditions for Dominican youth.
