The Techint Organization has singled out over 1,250 students with excellent academic scores at secondary schools and universities. The secondary schools are in 17 communities from 8 provinces in Argentine where the Organization's companies are present, while the university students are from 18 higher education facilities located in 8 different provinces. The students were accompanied by their families as well as their school directors at the virtual version of the event broadcast online. 

Meanwhile, in person and at the live event held at the Roberto Rocca Technical School, in Campana, were Paolo Rocca, the president of the Techint Organization; Mateo Salvatto, creator of ¡Háblalo !, the app that helps people with speech disabilities, and Valentina Avetta, who is a former fellow of the program. They were joined remotely by Diego Golombek, the Executive Director of the National Institute of Technological Education (INET in Spanish) of the Ministry of Education, via Zoom.

At the event, Rocca paid special tribute to the dedication and perseverance of the students selected for the award. "Winning these scholarships has been a complex challenge for you, as it has called for many sacrifices and much effort, but I want to congratulate each one of you and make you feel proud of what you have achieved," he said.

To this, Golombek added that “Technical education is fundamental, as it is what allows us to put our faith in the future of productive development. A scholarship means that someone is watching you and places a great deal of value on what you do. If we agree that the only way forward is productive development, we definitely need more and better technicians. There are many young people who are doing amazing things and we need to acknowledge their efforts and encourage them to continue as they are definitely on the right track.”

The scholarship programs, which included 1,022 high school students and 240 university students, involved an annual investment of more than 67 million pesos. The scholarships involve a financial grant for both high school and university students, to accompany them during their studies. For each secondary school scholarship, the total awarded per student comes to AR$ 36,000 per year, while university students get an average of AR$ 128,000 each.

“Techint has been built on a vision of recognition of individual effort and prides itself on its ability to foster talent. Each of us has a unique talent, the thing is to identify it, understand it, whatever it may be, whether it’s for mechanics, math, music, design, or engineering. This is what gives life meaning. It is a founding characteristic of the Techint Organization and has its roots in the culture and vision that my grandfather had when he created the company,” said Rocca.

The Group has been granting scholarships to university students since 2004, contributing to the development of human resources in the fields of science, engineering and technology. This year, 240 scholarships were awarded to students studying technical subjects such as electromechanical, mechanical, electrical, electronic, petroleum and materials engineering as well as geosciences, at 18 universities in eight provinces throughout the country.

In addition, the students are supported throughout their studies, receiving academic follow-up and opportunities to gain in-depth knowledge about industrial activities, bringing them closer to professionals who can guide them in their career choices. Students are invited to visit the companies’ industrial plants and take part in training activities designed to enhance their employability.

The Award Program for secondary students is one of the flagship programs in the Techint Organization’s tradition of supporting education and has developed a worldwide presence over the years. It was launched in 1976 in Argentina, originally exclusively for the children of company employees. However, in 2006, it was opened to all students from the communities where the Techint Organization companies are present. This year 1,022 scholarships were awarded to high school students who demonstrated academic excellence and commitment to their studies, from seven provinces around the country.

At the ceremony was Valentina Avetta, 21, a former high school scholarship student currently studying bioengineering at the National University of Entre Ríos. Avetta is insulin dependent and is developing a device to flag any problems with the cold chain process required to store insulin. "One of the most important values we can teach young people these days is that they can do things for themselves, that they can create solutions, and we must motivate them so that they can do whatever they want," she said as she shared her experiences.

Also present was Mateo Salvatto, 21, National and International Robotics Champion and creator of ¡Háblalo!, the app that helps people with speech disabilities. Salvatto agreed that motivation, teamwork, collaboration and curiosity are key to continuing learning. “These types of scholarships are a way of showing support for kids who want to build a better community, particularly as so often the focus is not on them. The Techint Organization recognizes over 1,200 young people throughout Argentina who want to transform their community and achieve a better future.”

"We may not solve the country's many inequalities with a scholarship, but we can ensure that those 1,200 kids continue to follow their dreams," Golombek concluded.

The companies’ investment in the area of Community Relations is intrinsic to the operations of the Techint Organization and reflects the values that have set it apart for 70 years. The educational scholarship programs underpin the actions carried out to develop communities in Argentina. They have the support of the Fundación Hermanos Agustín and Enrique Rocca as well as receiving sponsorship from the group’s companies Tenaris, Ternium, Techint Engineering & Construction, Tecpetrol and Exiros.

In the last ten years, the Techint Organization has invested approximately USD 100 million in these programs throughout Argentina. One of the Organization’s leading global educational programs is the Roberto Rocca Technical Schools Network, designed to foster academic excellence and equal opportunities (one of the schools in the Network hosted the in-person Award Ceremony in Campana). Another key initiative is the Technical Gene program, which seeks to strengthen teaching and learning in 4.0 skills at technical secondary schools, providing equipment and teacher training as well as offering students industrial internships. The AfterSchool program provides non-formal education in Science, Technology, Mathematics and Art for young children, while the Volunteers in Action program is a way of involving company employees and their families in efforts to transform their local community, with a focus on improving school infrastructure.  The Group also supports the Fundación Cimientos, awarding 200 scholarships to secondary school students from vulnerable communities every year.