Mining employment: provinces exchange training strategies in Mendoza for incoming workers
Mendoza brought together provinces linked to mining activity this Wednesday to share their experiences in training and employment. The Mining, Employability and Development Challenges 2026 Workshops are being held at the Legislature through Thursday, September 24. They were organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Mendoza Chamber of Deputies, and the provincial Government.
The meeting convenes provincial governments, business chambers, unions, and technical training institutions from lithium and copper provinces. Participants included Catamarca's Labor Minister VerĂłnica Soria; Jujuy's Government and Justice Minister Normando Ălvarez GarcĂa; RĂo Negro's Labor Secretary MarĂa Martha Avilez; San Juan's Technical Education Secretary Rodolfo Navas. From Mendoza, Minister Tadeo GarcĂa Zalazar and Mendoza's Undersecretary of Energy and Mining Manuel Bandini participated.
The ILO: provinces sharing lessons learned
ILO Country Office Director for Argentina, Sara Luna Camacho, explained that the organization supported several provinces in identifying skills gaps in mining, with prior experience in lithium. That work made clear that each province needs different profiles, depending on its reality and educational offerings, making it difficult to generalize what training is needed.
The spirit of the workshops, she noted, is for the provinces themselves to share that experience, with ILO support, to extend assistance to copper and other mining sectors. She also highlighted social dialogue among workers, employers, and the State as the setting where, based on evidence, skills gaps are discussed and training offerings are adapted, involving governments, companies, and unions. When asked about the number of jobs mining will generate, she responded that the figure depends on context and that the pace varies across provinces.
Education Minister Tadeo GarcĂa Zalazar presented an overview of the careers and courses offered by DGE employment training programs. (Photo: Mendoza Chamber of Deputies).
Mendoza: public-private coordination
Production Minister Rodolfo Vargas Arizu argued that productive development depends on developing people's capabilities. He advocated for coordination in which the private sector invests and creates jobs, while the State creates conditions and brings together the working table with companies, unions, and educational institutions to identify demand and gaps. For the official, training is an investment in productivity and competitiveness, and he expressed his hope that the workshops produce a roadmap translatable into concrete policies and programs.
Provincial authorities and ILO representatives at the employment and mining workshops. (Photo: Mendoza Chamber of Deputies).
For his part, Chamber of Deputies President Andrés Lombardi explained why the Legislature is hosting the debate: in Mendoza, law 7722 requires that environmental impact statements for mining projects be approved by the Legislature. He believed these spaces help legislators gain knowledge and build consensus with society.
Andrés Lombardi, President of the Mendoza Chamber of Deputies. (Photo: Mendoza Chamber of Deputies).
Lombardi recalled that the Legislature approved more than 80 environmental impact statements for exploration, most in MalargĂŒe, and that the PSJ Mendocino Copper project in Uspallata is advancing.
He stated that Mendoza public opinion has swung in favor of mining and that this support must be consolidated with good labor practices, training, and specialized local suppliers, without depending on "buy local" mandates.
And he highlighted the employment training plan being driven by the Education Ministry, aimed at youth from technical schools and universities.