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Forestry Education in Higher Education

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The new Heavy Machinery and Vehicles Technician program at the School of Engineering and Natural Resources of Duoc UC, Arauco Campus, will feature state-of-the-art equipment and technology, essential to meet the demand for highly skilled and specialized forestry professionals.

Five years ago, Duoc UC's Arauco Campus was established through a strategic partnership with the company ARAUCO, offering technical programs tailored to local needs. Over 1,400 students and nearly 500 graduates have since passed through its doors. This new technical program will be launched for the first time with around 80 students, contributing to their professional growth, the development of Arauco Province, and the forestry industry, which represents a significant part of the region's potential.

This partnership has allowed professional training to align with the forestry industry, with the key challenge of integrating this new program into the dual learning strategy for technical-professional careers. This approach enables students to gain early industry experience, facilitating smoother entry into the workforce. "This innovative higher education model ensures that students in various programs engage in practical, alternating work experiences at companies, guided by tutors who share valuable insights to enhance their training. These activities take place in real work environments where they may eventually work. Thus, we recognize the opportunities this model creates, especially in the forestry sector, considering the required professionalization and the industry's current benefits," explains Rodrigo Viveros, Academic Subdirector of Duoc Arauco. He adds, "We must match professionally trained technicians with sector needs—whether in maintenance, electrical, administrative, safety roles, or now, forestry operators. The challenge is promoting this opportunity among forestry families, especially since Duoc UC is an accredited institution where 85% of students study for free. A zero-cost technical program is a tremendous opportunity for many families."

Additionally, this forestry focus is unprecedented in a professional program, requiring significant investment in equipment by ARAUCO. Academic training will use technology and machinery standards matching those in productive forests, housed in a 600 m² facility. "The challenge is significant, but we are excited about aligning with local development and bridging gaps for the community," said Rodrigo Viveros.

The Professionalization of Forestry Work

Elvis Ortega, Director of the Heavy Machinery and Vehicles Technician program, explains that classes will be offered in both daytime and evening schedules. The program will train students in maintenance, diagnosis, and repair of various heavy machinery and vehicle systems—mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, electronic, multiplexing, as well as transmission, steering, suspension, braking, control, safety, and climate systems. This prepares versatile professionals capable of handling any vehicle-related issue in maintenance or operation. "The program is identical across all campuses, but the key difference here is that students will work exclusively with forestry vehicles and machinery. This ensures familiarity with equipment like harvesters and processors, enabling graduates to identify faults, understand maintenance logic, predict lifespan, and troubleshoot on-site," he explains.

Regarding salary prospects for Heavy Machinery Maintenance Technicians, Ortega states, "I can't speculate, but believe me, it must be very good. While I have figures for existing programs, the high demand and specialization in forestry mean companies are eagerly awaiting graduates, offering strong job placement and competitive salaries."

The goal is to deliver quality education in a region that needs to nurture local talent, with top-tier infrastructure and equipment. The next step is exploring new programs. "Alongside forestry professionalization, we also need process leaders with management skills. Technicians focus 100% on execution, but we need leaders with a broad vision of forestry management. That’s why we’ll introduce an Engineering program as a continuation for this first group starting in 2022," says the program director.

Simultaneously, specialized courses are being developed alongside these programs, offering students additional knowledge at no extra cost, such as diplomas covering various forestry-related topics.