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ARAUCO Launches Forest Drivers School, the First of Its Kind in Chile and the World

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Twenty-two people from different regions of the country took a significant step in their professional development and enrolled in ARAUCO's Forest Drivers School, which aims to support the growth of Forest Drivers by enhancing their role in both technical and attitudinal competencies that promote safe, productive, and sustainable work.

Iván Chamorro, Vice President of the company's Forestry Business, emphasizes that the difference in all projects lies in training people, which is key to their development and increasing company productivity. "We have the MAPA project, which will generate many jobs in the forestry sector, and log transportation is crucial to ensuring operational continuity in the industry. This must be done safely. The top priority for these 22 future drivers is to return home safe and sound. A second focus is for them to become the face of the forestry industry. These new students and future drivers will be ambassadors for forestry, and their actions will impact others."

In recent years, the truck transport fleet has undergone significant changes toward greater safety and technological innovation, requiring increasingly prepared individuals. The goal is to attract new talent to forest driving. "We need to retrain people because we're facing a shortage of drivers. That's why we're offering them the opportunity to obtain their A5 license, retrain, and work with us in the forestry sector," says Jonathan Pedraza, Operational Coordinator of ARAUCO's Forest Drivers School.

The development of this school, located in the Arauco district opposite the company's Industrial Forestry Complex, has three objectives: training people to meet the demand for future Forest Drivers, laying the groundwork for a cultural shift to adapt workers to the sector's demands safely, efficiently, and sustainably, and enhancing the training of those entering or already working in this field. "We aim to incorporate new technical and behavioral skills to create a 2.0 driver," says Patricio Eyzaguirre, ARAUCO's Training and Organizational Development Manager. "Currently, we have a demand for over 300 future drivers, starting with this course of 22 students, and we plan to include women in the future."

In fact, in early December, the first woman, Marianela Torrez, joined as a student. She is thrilled to pave the way for more women to enter the field. Her dream was always to become a professional driver, and before joining the school, she worked at the Horcones Industrial Forestry Complex in air conditioning maintenance and installation, a field in which she holds a professional degree. Her father, a forest transport driver for over 40 years, has always been her inspiration, which is why she has dreamed since childhood of being part of this forestry chain. "ARAUCO giving us the opportunity to train and prepare is a tremendous chance, and I hope more women take it because we have the capacity to be part of forest transport," she says.

The duration of the courses, developed in collaboration with industry dealers, varies depending on the participants' experience and license type: 1.6 months for an A5 license with forest truck driving experience, 2.2 months for an A5 license without experience, and 2.9 months for A3 and A4 licenses.

"This ARAUCO initiative makes us very happy because it’s regional and aids economic recovery, considering that the forestry sector contributes significantly to the country, not only in GDP but also environmentally and socially," says Fernando Illanes, Manager of Corma Biobío and Ñuble.

And what do the students think?

Camilo Navarro, former planter and brush cutter: "I want to take this leap because it’s more structured work and offers better pay."

Fernando Millar, from Lanco, Los Ríos Region: "I’ve had my license for a while, and it’s always good to keep learning, so I want to advance in my development."

Celin Retamal: "I’ve spent a long time in passenger transport, but I’ve always liked truck driving because it pays better, and one always aspires to more."

Cristián Neira: "I’m from Curanilahue and started in silviculture. Now, I want to give my family a better future, and what better way than ARAUCO training us to improve, working with trucks that have better technology and giving us this opportunity."

The Perspective of Transport Contractor Business Owners

"This school shows how ARAUCO is tackling future challenges differently and creating new job opportunities with specialized drivers," says Lorena Bravo, General Manager of Transportes Llico.

Javier Muena, Manager of Transportes San Joaquín: "This is a tremendous initiative by the company, addressing the country’s current shortage of skilled labor."

Patricio Carrillo, Operations Head of Transportes Valdés: "It’s a great initiative that benefits the system by helping to solve the driver shortage in the market."

Cristián Mardones, Contract Administrator at Cotal: "It’s an excellent initiative because the transport sector has advanced a lot, and this school will provide skilled labor—today, we have trucks but not enough drivers."

For this project, ARAUCO collaborated with the consulting firm Axia. Héctor Gordillo, Lead Instructor, commented, "This falls under the concept of corporate schools where knowledge and practice are unique to each industry and company. Therefore, they must enhance and generate it internally, not import it. When you standardize and establish it within a company, they become learning organizations, improving productivity—a virtuous cycle."