Celeste Zepeda spent most of her internship in Argentina shuttling between barbecues and smart contracts. She joined Tecpetrol as part of the Argentina Business Internship Program - Puentes, and during her time at the company, focused on improving the supply chain by incorporating new technologies.

The arrival of Celeste, Supply Chain Trainee, in Buenos Aires marked the beginning of a professional and personal journey. From June to August this year, she concentrated on working with a tool that automates processes when certain predefined conditions are met—and on enjoying Argentine culture. “I'm from Los Angeles, but since my parents are from Mexico, we speak both English and Spanish at home. I wanted to learn about ways of using new technologies, explore the country and practice the language. This is my first time working for an energy company. I wanted to challenge myself,” she says.

A Computer Science graduate from New York University, Celeste is no stranger to cultural exchanges, as she’s lived in Japan, Germany and Italy during her studies. Now, she’s enjoying South America, thanks to the Argentina Business Internship Program - Puentes, an initiative sponsored by the international organization Puentes Abroad . The program is about blending the corporate and educational spheres while facilitating student internship exchanges with universities in the United States.

Celeste laughs as she tells us that, for the first time in her life, she has a nickname: “I'm on a really cool team. Here they make me feel at home and they called me Cele from day one. They really made me feel included,” she says. She also took part in an onboarding program that included a visit to the Fortín de Piedra field in Neuquén, where she had the opportunity to see drilling operations up close and learn more about the industry first hand. She adds that: “As it was my first time here, my manager invited me to a barbecue at his house along with my team. Here, you don’t just come to the office to work, you also connect with the people on your floor.”

For Tecpetrol, welcoming international interns like Celeste brings far more than cultural enrichment. “We’re currently focusing on developing a new skill, which has to do with diversity. Celeste's arrival has had the effect of strengthening us as a team because, in addition to knowledge, she’s brought us new ideas. It helps us understand new cultures, new ways of projecting ourselves into the future, and envisage a broad range of ideas to promote inclusion,” says Nerina Armellini, Talent Attraction Analyst.

As Celeste’s internship comes to a close, it’s clear that this experience has been highly transformative. “Working in another language isn’t easy, but it’s taught me that I can achieve whatever I set my mind to. Life is about starting over several times. It could be a new career or business path. And this program taught me that I can do it. I have the ability to start over, even in a new and unfamiliar culture. I’ve gained more confidence in myself,” says Celeste happily, as she now feels invincible and, even though she’s still on Argentine soil, she’s already longing to return for a visit.