We started the Dual Education Program for students from the Copiapó Valley.

In a ceremony marking the milestone of the start of the Dual 2022 Program, Compañía Minera del Pacífico (CMP) welcomed the students participating in this period, who will carry out internships at the Mina Cerro Negro Norte mine in Copiapó and the Magnetite Plant in Tierra Amarilla.

During the meeting, the objectives and new participants of this initiative were announced, which is part of an effort by the mining company to strengthen the options of alternation of technical high schools in the territory with the productive world. Thus, in 2021 the Vínculo Project was born as an articulator between CMP and the Network of High Schools in the regions of Atacama and Coquimbo.

This year there will be 7 young people from the electricity specialty who will alternate their formal education with practical and guided learning at the facilities of Cerro Norte Grande and 8 more young people, all women, who will do the same at the Magnetite Plant, one of the largest circular economy facilities in the world.

The program seeks to reduce the dissonance between the labor competencies required by companies for their processes and the educational proposal of the specialties offered at local secondary technical-professional schools.
CMP's assistant manager of Copiapó Valley operations, Adolph Moller, said that "it is of great importance for the company and our valley to initiate this program. It will allow us to generate a positive impact on the territory, providing better opportunities for our young people, who with this type of activity reinforce their education in the classroom with practical field work directly related to the mining industry. In addition, I would like to highlight that the Tierra Amarilla high school contributes only women to the program, a relevant milestone to continue advancing in terms of diversity and inclusion of women in all our processes".

Rosa Cordero, principal of the El Palomar high school, noted that "this is a long-standing desire, because we have seen the development of the company and we know its comprehensive approach to the communities. Our boys and girls need and seek to open their horizons, and this opportunity will be the beginning for more students to access the specialties and for the doors to open successfully in the future".

Nicole Alavi, a student at the Liceo Jorge Alessandri in Tierra Amarilla, added that "this program is very important for me personally, it is a great opportunity to gain experience and contribute to the company. It also allows me to advance with my studies and analyze my future from a vocational point of view for my future career".

The principal of Liceo Jorge Alessandri, Ruth Vega, reinforced that "I am very grateful to the company for this opportunity for our students. Our community greatly values the dual program, which aims to reinforce their studies and will also allow them to share the company's experiences in the field".

During the program, students will be able to combine the specific objectives of their specialties with increased knowledge of risk management, crushing application and technique, reconcentrate processing and various cross-cutting skills that are relevant to their professional development today.