The Chamber of Mines of Peru convened authorities from the metallurgy, geology and mining schools of the UNJBG.
The Chamber of Mines of Peru organized a working group with the university authorities of the metallurgy, geology and mining schools of the National University Jorge Basadre Grohmann of Tacna (UNJBG); whose objective is to analyze the current training panorama related to the mining activity, and to establish the appropriate measures to contribute to improve the level of the training and specialization programs for future professionals who will work in the different mining projects located in Peru and other Latin American countries.
With the purpose of contributing to improve the training of directors, professors and students of specialties related to the mining sector, an analysis was carried out to know the strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats present at the National University of Tacna.
Regarding the working group, Eng. Edgardo Valdez, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering of the UNJBG, highlighted the joint work with our institution.
“A very important point within this activity promoted by the Chamber of Mines of Peru, is the work that is sought to be done with the university to train future professionals related to the extractive sector; both mining engineers, geologists and metallurgists. This event will build bridges between the university and the companies to promote the development of profitable, responsible and sustainable mining”.
The representatives from Tacna recognized that the organization of this type of event serves to propose solutions to existing problems in the educational sector, such as the shortage of infrastructure, outdated curricula and limited access of students to pre-professional internships.
One of the main disadvantages present in the different universities in Peru is the lack of research programs of professors and students, which limits the generation of new solutions to the problems faced in the development of mining operations.
This is an important aspect for the members of the Board of Directors and Advisory Council of the Chamber of Mines of Peru, who seek to encourage the development of creative and innovative proposals of future professionals in the mining industry.
Therefore, the Chief Executive Officer of our institution, Eng. Cesar Gallardo, mentioned the need for comprehensive training.
“It is true that it is necessary and important to promote training in the various universities in northern, central and southern Peru, related to the mining sector; but it is also essential to encourage directors, professors and students to develop skills, which go beyond the acquisition of specialized knowledge; so that they contribute to finding creative and innovative solutions to the various problems of the daily occurrence of mining”.
In the Chamber of Mines of Peru we are aware of the need to find a prompt solution to all these problems. For this reason, the representatives of our institution proposed at the working group with the UNJBG to set up a joint work with the universities of Peru. This proposal had a high degree of acceptance among the representatives from Tacna.
“This initiative of wanting to collaborate closely and permanently with the university is extremely important. We have received this proposal and I am sure that in the shortest possible time we will be able to see the benefits generated by the university and the company working hand in hand for the wellbeing of the mining sector”, commented Eng. Javier Soto Perez, Director of the School of Metallurgy of the UNJBG, regarding the working group.
Another aspect that was analyzed within this working group was the occurrence of socio-environmental conflicts; since in recent years they have costed the paralyzation of important mining projects; thus slowing down the economic and social development of Peru.
“In Peru there have been some problems of a social and environmental nature. We would like to work together with the Chamber of Mines of Peru to organize talks and seminars to teach our students how to carry out responsible and sustainable mining activities, as we are sure that in this way we will contribute to reducing these problems in the future”, said Eng. Edgardo Valdez.
The organization of this event was approved by the representatives of Tacna. “I consider this activity as a success; since the university has taken into account, something that other institutions in the sector have not done. That is why I want to congratulate the members of the Chamber of Mines for this initiative, where they have talked on recent topics and of enormous social projection”.
Finally, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering of the UNJBG thanked “the Chamber of Mines of Peru for inviting us to this working group, which we are sure, will have great benefits for the training of future professionals in the mining industry”.
