Traveling with her father to the interior of the town of Huara in the Norte Grande region sparked Karla Moscoso’s initial interest in electricity. She remembers accompanying him on small electrical jobs in the area and how watching him inspired her to pursue a similar path: “In high school, I studied industrial electricity, worked many years in construction, and then decided I wanted to study something related but that would also provide a good future for my children,” says the 25-year-old mother of an 8-month-old daughter.
Her interests in nature, sustainability, and concern for the effects of climate change led Karla to enroll last year in Renewable Energy Technology at INACAP. “One of my main motivations for studying this career is my love for electricity and environmental care. I believe I can be an agent of change; it is important for everyone to understand the importance of using renewable energy, being efficient, even in choosing which appliances to use,” explains the student.
In her career, she has learned theory but also practical skills. She has had the opportunity to handle solar panel equipment in laboratories, study more about wind energy, and conduct field visits in the region, such as to Cerro Dominador, home to the only solar thermal plant operating in the Atacama Desert.
Support for Her Studies
Karla says that since finishing high school, she had to work to pay for her studies, but this year she learned through her institute about a new opportunity: the Luksic More Women in STEM Scholarship from Fundación Luksic, whose application process was conducted in partnership with technical training centers and professional institutes: INACAP, Santo Tomás, Duoc UC, and AIEP. The scholarship will provide $150,000 monthly to 100 women across Chile who are studying technical careers related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
She applied via her cell phone and recently received the news that she is one of the 100 selected nationwide and one of the three winners from the Atacama Region: “This scholarship will greatly relieve my financial burden. Since I don’t have free tuition, this help is fantastic and a boost to keep going. Sometimes I thought about giving up, but this reassures me that it’s for me and to give my daughter a good future,” says Moscoso with emotion.
“Many women face financial difficulties in accessing and staying in higher education, and evidence shows that gender gaps are even greater in those careers that offer better employability and salaries, such as those in the STEM field. Therefore, we want to concretely support students who choose this path because we are convinced that, through education, people can improve their life trajectories and thus contribute to the development of Chile,” explained Isabella Luksic, General Manager of Fundación Luksic.
Scholarship Recipients from North to South
Karla is one of the three winners from Tarapacá. The regions with the most winners are, first, the Metropolitan Region (25%), Valparaíso (14%), Biobío (9%), and Coquimbo (9%), with the age range of the winners between 18 and 59 years old, predominantly students between 20 and 22 years old (26% of the total). Of the total, 41% of the scholarship winners are mothers, 67% declare themselves the main household provider, and 68% work in addition to studying.
Karla says she loves entrepreneurship and in the future would love to have her own company. “After studying, working, and gaining experience, I want to have my own small business in renewable energies, whether it’s solar panels or wind turbines, as it’s what I like most about my career,” says the young woman.
