The initiative was called “Training Program for the Competitiveness of Tourist Guides in the Coquimbo Region”, belonging to CORFO's Human Capital Training line.

In a formal ceremony, the first improvement course that seeks to improve the skills of tourist guides in the Coquimbo Region was completed to offer visitors a quality experience with a specialization in astronomy, taking advantage of the characteristics of the area. . This training was co-financed by the Production Promotion Corporation (CORFO) and students, and was given by the Training Office of the University of La Serena (OTEC ULS), through the strategic union of different units of the higher education institution. .

In this regard, the person in charge of the OTEC ULS, Eng. Pablo Sánchez, highlighted that “due to the demands of the course, which required multidisciplinary knowledge (...), we had to link different careers at the University, which for us was a challenge. challenge and today is a moment of pride, given that we managed to articulate different professionals from various careers and, at the same time, not only link them to the classroom but also in coordination with Campus Digital, which is the instance that provided distance education; Therefore, after seven months of working with the students, we are satisfied to have been able to provide new tools that allow the region's guides to be better prepared.”

This “Training Program for the Competitiveness of Tourist Guides in the Coquimbo Region” belongs to CORFO's Human Capital Training line of work and provided tools to 20 students enrolled in the course, coming from different places in the region, through the blended learning modality, a combination of face-to-face and online work, through the alliance with the ULS Digital Campus.

The certification was attended and congratulated by the authorities present: Luis Arjona, Seremi de Economía; Gustavo Dubó, Regional Director(s) of CORFO; Dr. Catalina Cvitanic, Director of Liaison with the Environment and Extension of the University of La Serena, and Laura Cerda, president of the Coquimbo Region Chamber of Tourism.

The Regional Director(s) of CORFO commented that “what CORFO received were very good opinions from the students. Many times the people who participate in these courses manage to form a business or strengthen certain businesses and that is very interesting, because with these new skills they strengthen a service that they are already developing. This has been highly valued because in addition the people who teach the courses are top-level professionals who today are part of the academic offering that the University of La Serena has on a regular basis, but in these courses, in some way, that knowledge "It adjusts very well to the requirements of the productive sector."

On this occasion, the ULS counted on the collaborative work of academics and professionals from the areas of Astronomy, Digital Campus, Pedagogy and Business Administration, specifically in the tourism area, all part of the university, working in an articulated manner to offer a complete training where students were able to learn: first aid, geography, culture, art, natural environments, tourist routes, history, group management in the field, regional astronomy, observational astronomy, among other topics.

Dr. Catalina Cvitanic, Director of Liaison with the Environment and ULS Extension, said that “because of what the differentiation of our region with this specific tourism means, in particular the positioning of the Star Region, it is essential to improve the competence of our human capital and that is where carrying out actions like this is extremely beneficial. In addition to this regional and national contribution promoted by CORFO, our University has the opportunity to transfer its knowledge, actively linking with its environment, in work areas that go beyond undergraduate teaching, allowing it to connect our academics with new and enriching realities, which will then be transferred to our future professionals. This is the virtuous cycle of participation that our Training Office and the institution have proposed, in such a way as to maintain a University inserted in the needs of the region at professional levels, and in other areas as important as this preparation.

Finally, the Director emphasized that each of the students who have already graduated from this program, “today has a new responsibility, the responsibility of being a driving force in their field of action that promotes the development of our Star Region. This is just starting and they have the unique opportunity to opt to be the first certified guides in the region. I congratulate you and we hope to welcome you in the next opportunity at the University of La Serena.”

Source: DIVEULS press