Participants in 'Women with Energy' value their experience in the training program

February 3, 2024

Promoting the development of female talent in the energy industry. That is the objective of AES Chile's "Women with Energy" program, which had its second edition this year. To accomplish this, the company made use of the Mesamávida Wind Farm, located in the commune of Los Ángeles, allowing students from the area to participate in the initiative.

In total, eight students from the AIEP and Inacap professional institutes were part of this edition. The students are pursuing careers in energy engineering, renewable energy technician, risk prevention engineering, and construction technician.

Two of them are Sofia Inostroza, studying Renewable Energies at Inacap, and Bárbara Delgado, a Risk Prevention student at AIEP. Both young women shared their experience in the program and their motivation for participating in it..

What stands out the most about the "Women with Energy" program?

Sofía: "They taught us how the park operates; for example, we learned about safety, operations, how the environment is involved at all times, and, something very important, community management, which caught my attention. It was a super enjoyable experience; I liked it a lot, I learned how they work and that they always work as a team, so that's something very good."

Bárbara: "I can highlight many things, but the one I personally identified with the most was the consideration, respect, and good atmosphere, without diminishing whether one is a man or a woman. I have known other companies where more attention is given to male workers' opinions and needs, and I have also seen more of them than women in industries like sawmills, construction, and forestry transportation."

 

What do you think is needed to motivate and encourage more women to enter the energy industry?

Sofía: "One way is by providing information from an early age. In high school, when professionals from this field come to give talks to students. I think it would be good to bring women from these companies to schools to show them what their work is like, what they do, and that would help a lot of girls who are in high school to know how they work and feel more identified."

 

Bárbara: "Collaboration with rural communities by AES Chile, integrating them, is progress and an incentive for women's participation. The objective seems to have been achieved, as there is a significant participation of women, but here, as in the city of Los Angeles, women are seen more in fields like commerce, medicine, and aesthetics. I believe that universities and institutes here could be the stepping stone for women to have the energy to excel personally, professionally, and educationally, and to want to be part of something bigger than their own expectations."

ABOUT WOMEN IN ENERGY

Macarena Badilla, the manager of Social Investment at the AES Chile Foundation, who was a speaker on community management, one of the topics addressed in the program, highlights the participation of AIEP and Inacap students and explains in greater detail what the program consists of and its objectives.

According to your participation as a speaker, what does the program entail and what does it aim to achieve?

"The 'Women with Energy' program aims to strengthen these relationship bonds that we also seek with the communities where we are present. The essential values ​​of this initiative are commitment and enthusiasm, more than administrative issues, because ultimately this program also has a more qualitative focus, which is to encourage, introduce the girls, so that they feel in a harmonious environment, where they clearly see how the company operates behind closed doors."

What are the main objectives of the program?

"One of the main objectives is to promote the development of female talent in the area and at the same time collaborate with increasing the presence of women in the energy sector. We aim to provide the tools for students to understand in the field what they learn in their careers. It's very different to learn from theory to actually see how a wind farm works and everything involved in its operation."

How is the development of female talent promoted through these programs?

"AES Chile has promoted the addition of women to the company and increasing their presence in the energy industry, as part of corporate policy. Therefore, the focus is on implementing the program in areas where the company has a presence and then we can subsequently add to other projects that may arise in the future." Additionally, she adds, "But ultimately, if you have prior knowledge, it becomes easier and I think in every field, it's extremely important to know all this content before entering the workforce, and this adds value. So, it's better if they already have a general idea of ​​how a company operates, mainly in the energy sector, an industry that has had a strong presence in the Biobío region."