The Government of Catamarca and MARA have moved forward with a comprehensive job training plan aimed at workers in Andalgalá, in anticipation of the opportunities and demands that the Agua Rica project will generate. The plan coordinates training actions, an assessment of profiles available in the region and job placement, involving the Ministry of Education and Labor through the Job Training Campus, the UOCRA Foundation and community representatives.
By Panorama Minero
Government-MARA Agreement to Strengthen Local Employability
Governor Raúl Jalil, together with Minister of Education and Labor Verónica Soria, held a meeting with MARA representatives to sign an agreement aimed at launching training programs focused on strengthening the capabilities of the local workforce and improving employment opportunities in Andalgalá, Santa María and Belén. The initiative continues the joint work between the Ministry, the Job Training Campus, the UOCRA Foundation and MARA.
Pablo Lilljedahl, Institutional Relations Manager at MARA, emphasized that “training is a central tool for developing local capabilities and bringing worker profiles closer to the skills that will be required by the next stages of the project.” He added that “as MARA moves forward, we also need to create the conditions for communities to prepare for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.”
Assessment: Profiling of 85 Workers in Andalgalá
In this context, the Job Training Campus held a job profiling session for 85 people from Andalgalá, with the aim of learning about their backgrounds, current employment situation, interests and training needs. During the activity, information was collected on each participant’s education, experience, skills and employment expectations.
According to information provided by Catamarca’s Ministry of Labor, the survey made it possible to obtain concrete data on the profiles available in the department and to plan new training actions in line with the demands of the region. Advice and assistance were also provided for registering on the Campus platform, as well as guidance on how to consult active job searches and apply for available vacancies.
Two-Month Training Plan: Mining, Production and Tourism
The 85 participants in the profiling process will be included in a two-month job training and skills development plan that will begin in Andalgalá. The training programs will be related to production, mining and tourism, strategic sectors for productive development and the generation of employment opportunities in the department.
The objective is to provide workers with tools and knowledge that will enable them to improve their employability and, once the training is completed, to be prepared to enter the mining industry, as well as to pursue employment opportunities related to tourism.
Territorial Coordination and Continuation of Actions
Finally, the Government reported that a delegation made up of representatives from the Ministries of Government, Security and Justice; Education and Labor; and Finance and Public Works will travel to Andalgalá to continue outlining the implementation of the training program and make progress on other areas of work raised during meetings with unemployed workers. A delegation will also visit Belén to coordinate actions in that locality.
The meeting was attended by Ministers Alberto Natella (Government, Security and Justice), Verónica Soria (Education and Labor), Teresita Regalado (Mining) and Juan Marchetti (Finance and Public Works), reflecting the cross-cutting nature of the initiative and the institutional commitment to training human resources for the mining sector.
