Chilean mining sector workforce and development initiatives

The Chilean mining sector is implementing various educational and training initiatives to address local development and workforce needs.

Codelco launched a pilot Indigenous Training Academy to support communities near its Northern Operations, including Calama Indígena, Alto El Loa, and El Salvador. The program provides 200 remote learning spots covering topics such as leadership, entrepreneurship, project management, and artificial intelligence. Claudia Sandoval, Codelco’s Social Management Manager, noted that the curriculum addresses specific requirements identified within these local indigenous communities to provide tools for sustainable projects and digital competency.

In the Coquimbo Region, the Seremi de Minería is leading a public-private initiative to expand professional internships. This program seeks to align regional talent with industry needs to address a generational shift; current data indicates that workers under 29 represent only 8% of the sector, while those over 55 account for 17%. To meet a projected demand for 37,000 new workers by 2034, educational institutions are utilizing immersive tools like virtual mine tours and experimental tunnels to bridge the gap between academic training and industrial requirements.