Students from Tocopilla to Access Professional Technical Specialization

To encourage and support professional technical education for adolescents in Tocopilla, SQM signed a collaboration agreement with the local municipality and Inacap’s Antogafasta campus. The agreement aims to support training and specialization for students and thereby contribute to improving quality of life for municipal residents.

The document—signed by the Mayor of Tocopila, Ljubica Kurtovic; Senior Vice-President of Nitrate Operations at SQM, José Miguel Berguño and the Vice Rector of Inacap at the Antofagasta campus, Patricio Valdivia—aims to generate joint cooperation initiatives that improve competitiveness and productivity in Chile’s production sectors through innovation and entrepreneurship.

“Education is the best investment in life and we are pleased to join forces with SQM to offer this support for young people from Tocopilla. As a district, we have always been and will continue to be open to this type of collaboration initiatives that strengthen local education,” Mayor Ljubica Kurtovic remarked during the ceremony.

SQM executive José Miguel Berguño commented: “As part of our Sustainability Plan, we look for ways to support neighboring communities. That is why we have signed this agreement. Additionally, for some years, we have had a corporate volunteer program through which we dedicate part of our free time to outreach, giving talks at schools, donating school supplies and accepting interns. We are always motivated by the opportunity to connect the corporate world with education.”

Patricio Valdivia, Vice Rector of Inacap’s Antofagasta campus, highlighted the interest shown by the municipality and SQM, adding: “Kids from Tocopilla will have access to complementary education in high school. This complement to their school studies will give them tools to bring other knowledge and skills to technical or professional degree programs. Best of all, the benefit is absolutely free.”

Domino Latrille Polytechnical High School is one of the schools that will benefit from the public-private agreement. The school’s principal, Roxana Montero, remarked: “The initiative is very enriching. Our young people will be able to shape their future. Inacap and SQM give us this opportunity through professional-technical education.”

Notably, the agreement also involves technology transfer, technical assistance and ongoing education initiatives that positively impact individuals, communities, organizations and society in general.