In a milestone for local education, Codelco División El Teniente signed an agreement with five partner companies (MPG, Nexxo, Berliam, DMC Mining and OHL) to promote the training of students from technical mining schools in the O'Higgins Region. The program seeks to offer internships to students from five educational establishments and improve the infrastructure conditions of their facilities.

The ceremony was attended by the regional minister of Mining, Bárbara Gavia; the regional minister (s) of Education, Marcelo Padilla; managers of collaborating companies, representatives of Codelco and students from the high schools.

Luis Donoso, Administration Manager of El Teniente, highlighted “this alliance is a milestone that marks the future of the mining industry and of the new generations. This progress would not be possible without the collaboration of Codelco, the collaborating companies and the local authorities, who have worked together to open new opportunities for the young people who will build the future of the country.”

Meanwhile, Carolina Merino, the Division's Sustainability and External Affairs Manager, explained that "as a company, we are committed to opening our doors and promoting the development of education and human capital in our territory. It gives us hope to see how together we are building the future."

Mauricio Muñoz, Director of Management and Supervision of Contractor Companies at El Teniente, stressed that “collaboration with companies is key; together we enhance opportunities for students and generate a social impact on technical education.”

Promoting education in mining

During the ceremony, the companies symbolically signed the “Building the Future” agreement. This seeks to reaffirm the commitment to sustainable development and the creation of opportunities for students. In addition, representatives of the regional secretariats of Education and Mining signed the document as guarantors of the commitment.

The regional regional minister for mining, Bárbara Gavia, said that "in the future we will need even more copper, so it is essential to have more people studying and working in mining. We thank Codelco and the companies that make these opportunities possible."

"This opens up greater expectations for students to access their internships, be part of an articulation program and improve their conditions to graduate and project themselves in the sector," added the acting regional minister of Education, Marcelo Padilla.

Commitment of collaborating companies

In 2024, El Teniente strengthened its collaborative work with companies to promote the development of local human capital. This effort allowed prioritizing the relationship with communities, with a special commitment to the technical high schools in the region in the areas of mining, electricity and mechanics.

Roberto Alarcón, Human Resources and Labor Resources Manager at MPG, said that “currently, there is a labor shortage in all sectors, so this alliance is a great opportunity. There is a generational change and we need it.”

“In an industry that requires more labor, technical establishments represent a key opportunity to train future generations,” added Nexxo Operations Manager, Ricardo Gaete.

For her part, Nury Cáceres Villarroel, Head of Talent Attraction and Incorporation at Veltis and representative of Berliam, commented that "this process not only breaks down internal barriers, but also promotes the development of men and women in the industry. It is a key challenge."