Antofagasta’s Young Professionals Programme: Investing in our future leaders
August 2025 - Antofagasta plc (the “Group”), a leading copper producer, continues to invest in the future through the talent development of the next generation of its workforce through its Young Professionals Programme.
As one of the Chile’s prominent employers, the Group is committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive and high-performing workforce equipped to lead the copper industry into the future.
The Young Professionals programme supports early and mid-career development through a combination of structured work experience, support for postgraduate studies and the creation of strong mentoring links between fellow peers and experienced leaders. The programme is designed to identify high-potential individuals at an early stage of their careers and has proven successful in developing future leaders across Antofagasta’s operations.
Earlier this year, a number of former participants from the Young Professionals Programme travelled to New York for “Copper Week”, which is an industry gathering whereby market participants discuss the outlook for copper. Through direct exposure to the Group’s international network of stakeholders, participants are able to gain first-hand exposure to global copper market dynamics and commercial insights.
The week began with a seminar hosted by the International Copper Association (ICA), where they learnt about the organisation’s efforts to promote, protect and advocate for the copper market, including initiatives to highlight copper’s role as a critical mineral. In addition, participants joined meetings with a range of representatives from investment banks, international trading houses and Comex, hearing a range of perspectives on the global copper market and current industry trends, with several sessions attended by members of Antofagasta’s executive leadership team.
The Young Professionals programme began more than 10 years ago and typically has an intake of approximately 20-25 participants per year, helping many individuals to develop their careers within Antofagasta during this time. In 2024, the programme welcomed 24 participants, with 17 of them women.
