Generating Opportunities for Children and Youth in Tarapacá

Together with our Collahuasi Foundation, we have been promoting school development and technical education in Tarapacá for over a decade, opening up greater opportunities for children and young people in the region.

Currently, the Collahuasi Foundation co-administers the Bicentennial High Schools San Alberto Hurtado Cruchaga in Pica and Juan Pablo II in Alto Hospicio, in partnership with SNA Educa and local municipalities.

The efforts to improve the results of both institutions have been a long journey, and thanks to the commitment of the entire educational community, they have become breeding grounds for great regional talents.

Through solid academic and ethical training, and specializations in mining exploitation, industrial mechanics, and agriculture, we prepare young people to work in the mining industry, both at Collahuasi and in other companies in the sector.

This successful model has led us to build the first technical-professional high school in Caleta Chanavayita, aimed at improving the quality of life for all the children living in the area.

Bicentennial High School Juan Pablo II in Alto Hospicio

This is the first high school in the region to offer a specialization in Mining Exploitation and to obtain certification from the Mining Competence Council. The strong reputation of its graduates has led to a 155% increase in technical-professional enrollment from 2014 to 2022, growing from 84 to 212 students.

Collahuasi is involved in the training processes for these young people and their integration into the workforce, as well as contributing to infrastructure improvements. Notably, the construction of the first Heavy Mining Equipment Training Center in Chile is also underway, located in Alto Hospicio on a 24-hectare site. This facility will allow students in the technical professional area of the high school to gain their first operational experiences.

Bicentennial High School Father Alberto Hurtado Cruchaga of Pica

With the support of the Vice Presidency of Processes at Collahuasi, this multipurpose high school offers two technical specialties: Agriculture and Industrial Mechanics with a focus on Electromechanical Maintenance. Students in the latter program have access to a mining workshop and a process simulation room connected via fiber optics to the Cordillera operation.

Additionally, activities include video conferences with mine specialists, internships, master classes, field visits, and course certifications, among others.

The Business Advisory Council (CAE), led by Collahuasi and composed of several companies in the industry, assists these young people in entering the job market through internships and hiring opportunities.