Third and fourth year students specializing in Administration with a major in Human Resources from the Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna High School in Viña del Mar participated in an enriching experience that sought to bring them closer to the process of creating high-impact innovations.
The activity was part of the regional launches of the Avonni Awards, through this initiative designed by ForoInnovación, which this year is a partner of Fundación Chile, who presents the Avonni award in the Education category.
The workshop sought to strengthen the face-to-face connection with local entrepreneurship ecosystems, highlighting the importance of technical training in the generation of innovative solutions.
The Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna High School in Viña del Mar was the headquarters of an enriching initiative framed in the regional launches of the Avonni awards. This event is
It was carried out thanks to the articulation of ForoInnovación with Futuro Técnico Valparaíso, an initiative of the Ministry of Education, executed in the territory by Fundación Chile and the Seremi de Educación de Valparaíso.
The workshop, titled Learn to Innovate!, organized by ForoInnovación, brought together 30 third and fourth year students specializing in Administration with a mention in Human Resources from the high school, with the aim of encouraging professional technical students to think in a innovative to contribute to the sustainable development of Chile, while providing them with transformative tools to face the country’s challenges.
“This workshop was based on the diagnosis made from the National Index of Innovative and Entrepreneurial Attitude, which highlighted the importance of developing these skills from the early stages of training,” said Francisca Martin, executive director of ForoInnovación. She added that “what has been observed through the Innovative and Entrepreneurial Attitude Index is that people who have access to innovation and entrepreneurship with their various work formulas show better attitudinal indices. For the
Therefore, it is essential to have early education and training in these skills, since they are like a muscle that is strengthened with exercise. With these activities, we try precisely to incorporate formulas or work habits oriented towards innovation and entrepreneurship, which are fundamental. In a world full of technology, people will make a difference, and that is what we wanted to convey to all these young people today.
Meanwhile, Vanessa Arévalo, head of the North Central Zone Technical Future Project, highlighted that “The development of initiatives like this reminds us of the importance of linking technical education with the local innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. These types of experiences not only enrich students’ learning, but also prepare them to face the challenges of the future with a sustainable and transformative vision.”
For his part, Marcelo Ramírez, professor and head of the Administration Specialty with a mention in Human Resources at the Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna High School, highlighted that “the fact that an external entity comes generates a positive impact on the students. We take them out of the classroom to work on dynamics that, as teachers, we do not carry out on a daily basis, but rather are conducted by external people who are experts in the subject, and that influences their training. The students were able to absorb knowledge that we, for different reasons, might not be able to give them. So this day was a plus that will allow them to develop in any field they want, especially in topics related to entrepreneurship and innovation, which invite young people to constantly challenge themselves.»
Finally, Sebastián Maturana, a fourth-year B student majoring in Administration with a major in Human Resources at the Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna High School in Viña del Mar, commented after the day: “I found it quite interesting. At first, I thought it was going to be just another everyday activity, but it turned out to be quite enriching because we were encouraged to work with people we had not worked with and to challenge ourselves. This workshop gave me confidence, since to speak in front of many people you need to have a lot of head and personality. That’s what marked me the most.”
The day began with the presentation of the challenge and the separation of the students into groups of five. During the development of the activity, students identified a problem, investigated existing solutions, and developed their own innovations. Subsequently, they prepared and presented their pitches to present their solutions in one minute. This workshop represented a unique opportunity for students to develop their innovative and entrepreneurial skills, better preparing them for the challenges of the future.
In addition, the workshop included the participation and testimony of Bernardita Díaz, General Manager and Co-founder of SustrendLab, and Co-founder of the startup T-Phite, which has created a sustainable lithium battery made from waste tires, which was awarded the Avonni Energía Colbún National Award 2022.
This activity was part of the regional launches of the Avonni Awards, in which this year Fundación Chile is a partner, presenting the Avonni award in the Education category. This initiative was designed to strengthen the face-to-face connection with local innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems, highlighting the importance of
technical training in the generation of innovative solutions.
