In a ceremony held in the city of Talca and in which the Rector, Dr. Nibaldo Avilés, was present, the President of the Republic, Michelle Bachelet, signed the agreements for the creation of the five new state CFTs under the protection of public universities. 

The University of La Serena has been chosen by the Government, along with four other higher education institutions in the country, to be in charge of one of the five new state Technical Training Centers (CFT) that will be created in the regions of Coquimbo, Antofagasta, Valparaíso, Maule and Magallanes. 

This was announced by President Michelle Bachelet in a ceremony held this Wednesday, June 4, in the hall of honor of the Central House of the University of Talca, an event in which the Rector of the University of La Serena, Dr. Nibaldo Avilés, was present. , and in which the President signed the agreements for the creation of the five new state CFTs, ​​under the leadership of the universities of La Serena, Antofagasta, Playa Ancha, Talca and Magallanes. 

The President of the Republic explained that ''today we signed the first five agreements for the creation of state technical training centers in five regions of Chile under the protection of public universities: in Antofagasta with the University of Antofagasta; in Coquimbo with the University of La Serena; in Valparaíso with the University of Playa Ancha; in Magallanes with the University of Magallanes, and of course here in Maule, with the University of Talca.

Furthermore, the President pointed out that ''these five centers will be the starting point of a network that will be in the 15 regions, and that will direct its work towards regional development and will be articulated harmoniously with the rest of the educational levels and with the productive sector". She added that "international evidence shows that without training quality technicians, in permanent contact with productive needs, with communities, it is not possible to build equitable societies that develop economically and prosper socially."

The Rector of the University of La Serena, Dr. Nibaldo Avilés, highlighted the initiative, pointing out that ''the institution has given important signs of quality, reliability and continuous assurance, factors that influenced the Government to choose the ULS to be in charge of this new public Technical Training Center of the Coquimbo Region, which will undoubtedly contribute to the training of quality technicians, who will contribute to the development of the region and the country.'' 

During the ceremony, the Head of State also highlighted that a Public-Private Technical Vocational Training Council will be created in each region that "ensures the coordination between technical-vocational secondary education, higher or tertiary technical education." professional and also the productive sector. Because that means that you really have opportunities not only to study, but also to continue developing and working."