To address the rising demand for skilled professionals in the Neuquén Basin, the YPF Foundation visited Mexico to study best practices in education and training for the energy sector. While Tecpetrol brokered the introductions, TenarisTamsa opened the doors of its training well, and Ternium welcomed them at the Roberto Rocca Technical School.

Training professionals is essential to the sustainable development of the energy industry. The need for specialized workers increases each year in tandem with the continued expansion of Vaca Muerta. In efforts to tackle this concern, the YPF Foundation is heading up the creation of a Technical Training Institute, aimed at developing the standard of expertise able to meet industry standards, rooted in safety and operational excellence as its core principles.

As part of this initiative, a delegation from the YPF Foundation traveled to Mexico to study successful educational models and explore collaboration with leading institutions. The delegation included Gustavo Schiappacasse, Executive Director; Pedro Angulo, Local Development Manager; Andrea Ramallo, project leader; Sebastian Barros Ocampo, General Coordinator; Juliana Cecchini, Head of Public Affairs at YPF Neuquén; Hernán Medina, Labor Relations Manager at Neuquén; María Eugenia Marijuan, YPF Learning Consultant, and Maximiliano Arévalo, Deputy Secretary of the Oil Workers Union. The delegates were joined by representatives from the Community Relations area (CORE) at Tecpetrol and the Techint Group. Meanwhile, Tecpetrol played a key role in setting up the visit, connecting the YPF Foundation with the Techint Group and creating the synergy necessary for them to carry out their benchmarking exercise.

“The idea came from a study we conducted three years ago, where we identified gaps in the specific career alternatives needed to meet Vaca Muerta’s challenges over the next decade,” explains Andrea Ramallo. “The report highlighted the need for a space where future professionals could receive the latest training while also updating and retraining those already in the industry,” she adds.

The delegation visited the Rig Direct® Academy, TenarisTamsa's training well in Veracruz, a facility that provides hands-on training in a controlled, real-world setting. The delegation also visited the Roberto Rocca Technical School in Pesquería, as well as the Training Center for Industrial Work (CeCaTI No. 92), and the Faculty of Earth Sciences at the UANL (Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León) accompanied by the Ternium CORE team. These institutions have developed teaching methodologies that could help shape the future institute in Argentina. In Nuevo León, discussions focused on certifying technical knowledge as a requirement for workforce entry in addition to strengthening continuous professional development for those already in work.

At TenarisTamsa, the delegation was welcomed by Laura Minakata, Senior Director of Human Resources, and César Gutiérrez, Senior Director of Supply Chain Field Services, who shared the company’s approach to training. Laura presented the various training programs, such as Professional Internships, Technical Internships, Young People Building the Future and the Global Trainee Program. Meanwhile, César Gutiérrez outlined the certification and recertification model of the Rig Direct® Academy, a training center that prepares professionals using advanced technology and highly standardized processes.

“We set out to conduct an international benchmarking exercise, explore training practices abroad, and learn from the best experiences,” says Gustavo Schiappacasse, Executive Director of the YPF Foundation. “The insights we’ve gained from the Rig Direct® Academy are remarkable—the quality of training and education they provide is outstanding,” he adds.

Andrea explains that the goal is to create “a practice space with real equipment but controlled risks, allowing both students and active personnel to train and update their skills without compromising operational safety.”

The project also seeks to establish consistent safety and quality standards in training. “Today, each company follows its own training model, but as yet, there hasn’t been an industry-wide discussion about the need to unify criteria,” she notes, adding: “We want this institute to serve the entire industry and become a model for safety and training.” Andrea concludes that, “This requires collaboration between companies, ministries, and unions as it’s crucial for the entire work and education ecosystem to function in coordinated fashion.”

Tecpetrol is approaching this initiative from the perspective of its Technical Gene program, strengthened by its unique partnership with the Government of the Province of Neuquén and Vista Energy for the GenEra Neuquén initiative, a joint effort to strengthen technical training in the region. “We face the same challenges and operational needs,” points out Pablo Martellotta, Tecpetrol CORE Senior Manager. “With growing activity in Vaca Muerta, implementing best practices on the ground will bring broad benefits across the industry.” In this context, Tecpetrol is evaluating its participation in the YPF Foundation initiative, considering ways to share expertise and explore potential partnerships.

The creation of the Vaca Muerta Technical Training Institute may still be in the design phase, but the committee is enthusiastic about its goals: to learn from the best practices around the world and shape the future of Argentina’s energy industry.