More than twenty women in Chile’s 10th region are working in Norwegian aquaculture industry supplier AKVA Group’s workshops. Their training for this work is due to a programme of feminine inclusion that has been successfully in place for a year, promoting sustainable development.
AKVA group, which provides aquaculture technology and services to the salmon industry, with headquarters in Puerto Montt, last year established a programme to include women in their production processes and welding workshops. The purpose of this programme is to promote the employment of local women in the workplace through a commitment to gender equality.
“We want to see more empowered women working in the salmon industry. For a year we have been developing inclusion and training projects for women in the welding area, to create excellent products, with the best welders from both genders,” said Andrew Campbell, regional president of AKVA group for America, UK, and Australasia.
There are now 23 women in the company’s welding workshop, following training in the AKVA academy which initially offered men-only courses, then mixed classes, and finally, the first women-only course.
“This is a call for women to accomplish everything they set their minds on, and we are willing to accompany them in this process. Sustainability is also about people, collaboration among local people and the local communities,” Andrew Campbell stressed.
“Could I do it?” wondered Jeanette Salazar, food technician and secretary, and now a pioneer of AKVA Group’s female welders Chile.
“I never imagined working in something like this. I had to prove to myself that I could do it. The world is changing. And this is a major turn, very important and positive for me. It was hard in the beginning because it was an area full of men and tough work, and today I really enjoy it. I feel integrated and capable of performing in any area”, she commented.
In welding, the women specialise in raw material, structure, and accessories, receiving training over six months, to produce high quality pens and walkways for local and export markets. There are over 350 people working in Chile, including 46 women in different areas. At the beginning of the programme, there was concern that it would not work, but it has clearly been successful.
“We are going to change what is considered normal. At AKVA group we recognise the female contribution and celebrate their participation,”Andrew Campbell concluded.
