Find out more about the initiative that Tecpetrol is driving in partnership with Vista Energy and the government of Neuquén to strengthen technical education in the province.

A new education program has just been launched in the Neuquén Basin: GenEra Neuquén, an initiative designed to help school students and young adults living in the province acquire market-relevant technical skills. Rolando Figueroa, governor of Neuquén, Ricardo Markous, CEO of Tecpetrol, and Miguel Galuccio, president and CEO of Vista Energy, are spearheading this joint initiative developed by the CORE (Community Relations) area of Tecpetrol, which seeks to reach 65% of the technical schools in the region over the next three years.

Markous praised this step as it embodies Tecpetrol's commitment to the communities where it operates, "and furthermore involves the entire value chain, as the focus on technical education ensures growth and development opportunities, providing people with concrete tools to enter the world of work."

As put by Andrea Fernández, the CORE Manager of the Neuquén Basin and one of the people behind the initiative, the program is bolstered by all the know-how that Tecpetrol and the Techint Group bring to the table in matters of education. “From Tecpetrol, we are contributing the full range of knowledge and management capabilities we have developed throughout our corporate history to enhance the educational programs that we share as a Group, including the Roberto Rocca Technical Gene program.”

GenEra is a three-year program that offers math training for final-year primary school pupils as well as secondary school students enrolled in technical schools. It will also provide technical training courses as part of its Professional Internships and vocational guidance offer, in addition to teacher training in Math and the Project-Based Learning methodology. To round off the curriculum, there are also virtual campuses for e-learning, talks by professionals, visits to operations for a first-hand experience of work at Vaca Muerta, and laboratory practices.

The development of this type of program is an example of collaboration between the private sector, government and the educational field as they join efforts to tackle the demands of Argentina’s expanding labor market by fostering opportunities for professional development, in addition to promoting an industry that is crucial for economic growth in Argentina.

Andrea summarizes that, “GenEra Neuquén is all about new challenges, and this begins today as we bring together the resources of two leading oil & gas companies.”