Denver, CO – Addressing the need for skilled workers in Latin America’s largest economy, the Alcoa Foundation has funded an initiative by the Brazil Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center of International Scholars and US-Brazil Connect to raise awareness of careers in mining/sustainability among Brazil’s top math and science students enrolled in programs of the Brazilian Confederation of Industry (CNI). 

The partners will launch the initiative with a workshop at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado on February 24 for the immediate benefit of 20 top Brazilian math and science students currently visiting Colorado.  Over the course of a year, the initiative will engage over 2,000 technical students in Brazil and more than 200 participants from the US.

US-Brazil Connect, together with its partners at (CNI), have developed innovative programs to prepare the 21st century workforce in both countries.  Each year, the partnership reaches thousands of students in 20 Brazilian states, providing crucial language and leadership skills to help the students compete in a globalized economy.

The Alcoa-funded pilot initiative will strengthen the existing programs by adding crucial components of networking and career awareness highlighting opportunities in mining and sustainability. Alcoa is providing support funding workshops, presentations and videos that US-Brazil Connect will incorporate into its curriculum.

“We realized that while our Brazilian students were hungry to learn English and find good jobs, many lacked information about opportunities in key sectors such as mining/sustainability,” said US-Brazil Connect President Mary Gershwin. “Support from industry leaders like Alcoa allows our students to gain awareness of the global career opportunities available to skilled technical professionals.

Announcement of the initiative comes as Brazil faces new economic challenges after years of rapid economic growth. The challenges emphasize the need for programs that ensure Brazilian students have the knowledge and resources to access Brazil’s best jobs.

The Brazil Institute--a sector of the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars in Washington DC--conceived of the initiative as a way to advance its mission of fostering dialogue around key issues of bilateral concern between the US and Brazil.

The mining/sustainability industry holds particular promise as a sector for future work opportunities for Brazilian students. The sector continues to grow after having expanded five-fold in less than a decade, opening the door to Brazilian students with the proper knowledge and training.

The critical focus of the workshop has drawn a number of high-level Brazilian dignitaries from the Brazilian Confederation of Industry (CNI), US-Brazil Connect’s Brazilian partner in Conexão Mundo. The delegation will include Denis Roberto Baú, Board of Directors of the Confederation of Industry of Brazil; Sérgio Moreira, Director of Education and Technology; and Frederico Lamego, Manager of International Relations; Also in attendance will be the US-Brazil Connect Leadership Team, Paulo Sotero of the Brazil Institute, 20 students of the Conexão Mundo Program, Brazilian coordinators of the Conexão Mundo Program and a representative of the Alcoa Foundation.

US-Brazil Connect is a Denver-based 501(c)3 nonprofit  committed to unleashing unrealized economic and human potential by joining communities in the US and Brazil. Founded in 2011, it has quickly become a leading facilitator of collaborative education programs linking the Western Hemisphere’s two largest economies.

Conexão Mundo is a unique collaboration between US-Brazil Connect and the Brazilian Confederation of Industry (CNI) pushing the cutting edge of international education. The project aims to strengthen the English language skills and confidence of Brazilian high school students while providing international leadership skills for US college students and young professionals.

The Alcoa Foundation is one of the largest corporate foundations in the U.S., with assets of approximately $475 million. Founded 63 years ago, Alcoa Foundation has invested more than $615 million in communities worldwide. In 2014, Alcoa Foundation contributed more than $22 million to nonprofit organizations throughout the world, building innovative partnerships to improve the environment and educate tomorrow's leaders for careers in manufacturing and engineering. The work of Alcoa Foundation is further enhanced by Alcoa's thousands of employee volunteers who share their talents and time to make a difference in the communities where Alcoa operates.

The Brazil Institute seeks to foster dialogue on key issues of bilateral concern between Brazil and the United States, while advancing Washington's understanding of the complexities of Brazil as a regional, democratic power, and an emerging global player.

The Brazilian Confederation of Industry (CNI) is the voice of Brazilian Industry, a highly active organization with a mission to defend and represent Brazil’s production class. The public-private partnership represents over a thousand associated employers unions, almost 100,000 industrial establishments and 27 state-level industry federations.