Mendoza launches first Mining Driller course with more than 100 students
The Directorate General of Schools (DGE) will launch the first Level 3 training program for Mining Drillers, an educational initiative that seeks to professionalize a trade key to the mining industry while also opening a door for those historically left out of the formal education system. The teaching staff is made up of personnel from mining companies and professionals from the National Atomic Energy Commission.
A selection process that prioritized inclusion
The call drew a strong response: 1,000 applicants registered to take part in the program, of whom 140 were ultimately selected, based on the quota for this first cohort. That was confirmed to Comunicaciones Mineras by the Deputy Director of Mining, Jimena Ponce.
Within that group, there are three clearly defined profiles:
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Workers who already perform the trade of driller at companies in the sector, many with years of experience but no formal certification backing their knowledge.
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12 people over the age of 25 who had not completed high school, who took a special assessment and passed, qualifying them to enroll in the program. This group represents one of the most notable aspects of the initiative: the chance for those who did not finish secondary school to access a high-level technical training program.
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Members of the general public with no prior knowledge of the subject, but with a technical profile suited to working as drillers.
Two goals, one shared horizon
The training program pursues two major goals. On one hand, it aims to certify the experience of drilling companies and their staff, who for years have practiced the trade without formal education backing that practical knowledge. For this group, one of the modules will be devoted to an assessment that will make it possible to certify the knowledge and experience acquired, along with a service certification endorsed by the employing company itself.
On the other hand, the training is also aimed at the general public interested in entering the world of mining drilling with no prior knowledge, who will need to complete all the content from scratch — a group that is essential for Mendoza to have the human resources the sector requires. The nearest upcoming project is copper mining.
750 hours of training: theory and practice in equal parts
The course's total course load is 750 hours, split into two major blocks:
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375 hours of theoretical training, spread across five modules.
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375 hours of hands-on professional practice.
Weekly schedule
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Thursdays and Fridays, from 6:50 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
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Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., a session mostly devoted to masterclasses given by specialized professionals from the drilling companies themselves and by staff from CENEA (the Atomic Energy Commission).
Theoretical modules
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Introduction to operations and assistance in mining drilling.
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Mining context, legal framework and safety.
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Geology, topography and technical interpretation.
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Drilling technology and maintenance.
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Human capital management, critical thinking and gender perspective.
Added to these is a sixth component, corresponding to integrative professional practice, which makes up the other half of the total course load.
When and where
The training program is set to begin on Thursday, August 27, at 8 p.m., at the Insutec campus, San Juan 467.
With this initiative, the DGE not only aims to strengthen the skilled workforce demanded by the mining sector but also reinforces an educational inclusion policy that recognizes the track record of those who work in the trade while rewarding the effort of those who managed to complete their secondary education in order to access this new technical training opportunity.