Torreón, Coahuila.- An excellent opportunity to support talent in Mexico in his interest to promote among a new generation of career studies related to various fields of science and technology, representing for Industrias Peñoles and Fresnillo plc the possibility of supporting each year the regional development of the FIRST robotics competition.

This international contest is due to an initiative founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen, precisely with the aim of helping young people discover and develop a love for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

It should be borne in mind that in Mexico this international program has been promoted by mining companies Peñoles and Fresnillo plc since 2012 and 2017, so that young competitors build robots and thereby develop their technical and scientific skills to enter the world of innovation and the real world. technology. At the same time, the contest offers participants the opportunity to learn and strengthen skills such as self-confidence, communication and leadership.

ROBOT

This is how Mexican mining companies promote an interest in science and technology through robotics, both among young people from the communities around their operations, and in the educational centers that depend on them.

For both companies, the program is an opportunity to support talent in Mexico, and for this reason they maintain a commitment to education and skills development for children and youth. So, in this decade they have promoted more than two thousand young Mexicans.

According to Rafael Rebollar and Octavio Alvídrez, CEOs of Peñoles and Fresnillo plc respectively, it is important to encourage the study of science, technology and engineering, promote the development of scientific and technological skills, as well as communication and leadership skills and be an inspiration for young people to become leaders in robotics. and innovation.

For this 2022 edition of the contest, the two companies will sponsor 23 teams from different Republican states such as the States of Mexico, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Guerrero, Durango, Oaxaca, Sonora and Zacatecas, where participation of young women has increased in various areas of the contest such as mechanics. , electricity and administration, in the case of Fresnillo plc, between 30 and 40 percent of the participants were women.

In this regard, Sergio Barrientos, general director of the Laguna del Rey Center for Technical Studies (CETLAR), comments that “it is very important to encourage young people to continue their development and training. In addition, we want to continue to encourage them to continue to learn and be an inspiration to other children and youth in their families and communities. The basic idea is that they also work under personal values ​​such as commitment, integrity and ethics. We have to change the culture, which they imagine, believe, accomplish.”

And that is, in addition to this program, Peñoles is working on other initiatives such as the “Inspiration for Engineering” program, where girls and women are encouraged to collaborate on projects related to science, technology and mathematics, as well as a series of multi-workshops offered by company so that basic education students learn by playing.

Meanwhile, David Hernández, in charge of Sustainability and Public Relations at Fresnillo plc, said that with this program the company encourages students to commit to their training and participation in contests; “Young people grow a lot as human beings; They learn from technical issues, to programming, creating business plans, designing, managing websites and social networks, managing resources and, of course, values ​​like teamwork, tolerance, leadership, communication and negotiation”.

In conclusion, the sponsorships that these companies offer to FIRST contest participants are not only in terms of resources and materials, but also in generating a positive impact on these young people and their communities, in a way that opens up various opportunities. for them, have the moral support to encourage them to study, meet and live with their family, friends and colleagues.

The FIRST four programs are known to reach more than 400,000 youth per year, and students from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, USA, UK and Mexico have participated.