Port Specialization in Coquimbo: TPC, Ultraport, and SLEP Train Professionals

In 2027, Liceo Diego Portales in Coquimbo will welcome the first generation of students into a program designed over the past two years by Terminal Puerto Coquimbo (TPC), Ultraport, and the Local Public Education Service (SLEP) Puerto Cordillera. This program aims to train professionals to directly connect port operations with external logistics.

The new specialization will enable students to acquire knowledge related to the supply chain, foreign trade, document management, port terminal operations, operational safety, transport, and cargo coordination, among other fundamental subjects for their future employment. The specialization will have a capacity for 30 young people per generation.

One of the central aspects of the plan will be the implementation of a dual training model, combining classroom instruction with practical experiences at the port terminal, allowing students to gain early exposure to the professional world.

Laura Chiuminatto, General Manager of TPC, highlighted that "this project reflects our commitment to the sustainable development of the territory and to the training of future generations. We want to introduce young people to a strategic industry for the region and for Chile, providing them with concrete tools to build their future in a world that requires increasingly specialized professionals."

From Ultraport, José Miguel Fuentealba, Coquimbo branch manager, stated that "Coquimbo has enormous export potential and needs professionals who master complete logistics, from cargo to the final client. At Ultraport, as an expert company in port operations, we reaffirm our commitment to training this local talent to boost the economy and the future of foreign trade in the region."

The initiative is the result of a collaborative effort developed over the past two years between the participating public and private institutions. This collaboration has included the curricular design of the specialization, the definition of technical competencies, and the construction of a training model aligned with the current and future needs of the industry.

From Liceo Diego Portales, its director, Neusy Chelmes, emphasized that "the specialization constitutes a significant advance for technical-professional education in the region, by offering students training aligned with one of the main productive activities of the territory. This initiative seeks to generate concrete opportunities for personal and professional development for young people, while strengthening local human capital and community growth. Today, the proposal is in the process of approval, and seeks to establish a hallmark not only in port operations but also in external logistics."

For his part, Rodrigo Caro, regional head of the Department of Education of the Seremi de Educación of the Coquimbo Region, explained that "as the Ministry of Education, we consider it fundamental to continue strengthening public education. This new specialization represents a significant opportunity to link education with the needs of the territory and project better opportunities for the future generations."

"Through a practical learning model, young people will be able to acquire experience and competencies directly linked to port operations and logistics, opening doors for their future employment and contributing to the productive development of the Coquimbo Region," concluded Andrea Barraza, Seremi of Labor and Social Welfare of the Coquimbo Region.