FIFTY final-year science and engineering students from across the Caribbean region are to participate in the third iteration of the Cemex Campus programme, designed to expose university students to the operations of a multinational company and the latest technologies in the cement industry.

Led by Caribbean Cement Company Limited, the programme will also include the other cement companies in the region operated by Cemex such as Arawak Cement Company Limited in Barbados, and Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL).

Over a period of eight weeks the students will be immersed in topics such as health and safety, cement distribution, cement technology, lime operations, aggregates and quality, and sustainability.

They will also be exposed to the areas of supply chain management, social impact, sales, distribution, planning, and human resources management, and will be drawn from six participating universities.

These are the Mona campus of The University of the West Indies (The UWI) and first-time participants Caribbean Maritime University, from Jamaica; the St Augustine campus of The University of the West Indies, the University of Trinidad and Tobago, and the MIC Institute of Technology, from Trinidad and Tobago; and first-time participant from Barbados, the Cave Hill campus of The UWI.

Addressing the virtual launch of the Cemex Campus on June 1, TCL Group Managing Director Francisco Aguilera said the programme represents an opportunity for regional students to benefit from knowledge transfer.

“For us, this is an opportunity for us to share with you our knowledge of the industry, to show the technologies that we use, particularly in the manufacturing of building materials and how that material has been used. The students will also be able to benefit from first-hand knowledge about how our operations work and be able to interact with a multinational company,” he said.

Additionally, Aguilera pointed out that the programme will assist in the training of future professionals, the development of the company’s executives, and the strengthening of the academic programmes of participating universities.

He also expressed satisfaction with the number of students and universities participating in the present iteration of the programme.

Meanwhile, board chairman of Caribbean Cement Company Limited, Parris Lyew-Ayee Sr welcomed the staging of the programme and pointed out that Cemex Campus will be useful in assisting university students in becoming work-ready.

“Just last week I got a report that showed that employers within the region have been complaining that our young graduates are not work-ready and that it takes a long time to get them properly oriented and to operate efficiently and to add value to their operations — but this is where Carib Cement and Cemex Campus comes in,” he said.

Lyew-Ayee said immersion of the students into the various subject matters over the eight-week period will provide a “true and practical picture of what is expected of engineering and science graduates in the working world”.

“We are not only preparing the best people for our Cemex plants but professionals who can be acceptable in any operating system — inside or outside of the Cemex family,” he noted.

For his part, Human Resources Director Jorge Camelo expressed pleasure at yet another staging of the programme and described it as an excellent opportunity to learn and grow.

“This is a real opportunity. There are a lot of departments here, and over time you will be able to select the areas that interest you the most. Be proactive, and don’t forget to bring your ideas, comments, and questions,” he said.

First launched in 2021, the initial season of the programme began with 42 students from across the region. At the end of the programme three students from universities in Jamaica will be retained in various positions at Carib Cement.