TPS Trains 10 Women from Valparaíso for Class A5 Professional Driving License

Terminal Pacífico Sur Valparaíso (TPS), the concessionaire operating Terminal 1 of the Port of Valparaíso, launched a Class A5 professional driving course aimed at 10 women from the municipality. The initiative seeks to promote female employability and create new job development opportunities in sectors that are strategic for the region, providing participants with specialized training that will qualify them to drive trucks in an industry that has historically been male-dominated and faces growing demand for professional drivers.

The program is made possible through joint efforts between TPS, the Federación de Dueños de Camiones de la Región de Valparaíso (Fedequinta), the Oficina Municipal de Intermediación Laboral (OMIL) of Valparaíso, OTIC Sofofa, and the Automóvil Club de Chile. TPS and Fedequinta sponsor the initiative, while OMIL was responsible for local outreach, employability assessment, and candidate preselection, as well as supporting participants throughout the licensing process. OTIC Sofofa designed and provided technical management for the program, and the Automóvil Club de Chile will be in charge of delivering the specialized training. The initiative is part of La Ruta, TPS's program aimed at fostering local development in Valparaíso through partnerships between the public sector, the private sector, and social organizations.

Cristian Rodríguez, General Manager of TPS, said the program reflects the company's commitment to capacity building and creating opportunities for the community, with the aim of giving more women access to training that strengthens their employability. Nicole Galdames, Director of Economic Development and International Cooperation for the Municipality of Valparaíso, highlighted that the course represents a concrete opportunity for participants to see themselves in an industry historically linked to men. For his part, Iván Mateluna, president of Fedequinta, praised the initiative as a tool to improve employability and boost female talent in an industry that increasingly demands trained drivers.

The training program includes theoretical classes delivered online and a hands-on training process totaling 225 hours. Participants will train on a full-immersion simulator to strengthen their technical knowledge and develop driving skills for large vehicles, before moving on to the practical driving stage with a Class A5 articulated truck, which includes 12 hours of one-on-one training.

Paula Vásquez, from Cerro Placeres in Valparaíso, said she comes from a family of bus drivers and feels excited about the opportunity to drive a truck, despite the challenges of balancing it with caring for her three children. Fanny Ramos, from Ramaditas, expressed her enthusiasm at finally accessing a course she had been waiting for, noting that it is an important achievement to support her family and that her immediate goal is to complete the training.