The 8 main characters
Agostina Longarzo. She is a Process Engineer for Painting Line. She graduated from Chemical Engineering at the National University of La Plata. She has been working in the Planta Canning for more than 5 years. She was born in Esquel, a province of Chubut, and lives in the Federal Capital.
She is a climber in her free time. She loves mountains.
Nora Mucciola. She is a Health and Safety Prevention Specialist. She has been working in Serviacero III since 4 years ago. She studied a Technical degree in Safety and Health and is currently finishing her Bachelor’s degree in the same specialty. She lives in Guerrico, 60 km away from Planta. She has 2 children. Vicente, the youngest one, is 4 months, he’s lactating and that is why she opened the lactation room in Plant.
Miriam Navarro. An operator at the Haedo Plant. She’s part of the group of “pioneers”, the first women who entered the South Plants to work on the production line. As she states, “I proudly produce corrugated sheets that go directly to the client and stock.” She works rotating shifts. She entered in September 2020. She lives in Rafael Castillo, half an hour by car from the Plant. She practices swimming.
A review through the gender inclusion agenda from the voice of some main characters.
Romina Natale. She is a Pickling Operator at the Ensenada Plant. Together with Miriam, she’s part of the litter of pioneers of the South. She entered more than 1 year ago. She is very happy with the variety of possibilities that Ternium offers. She works rotating shifts. When she was 10 years old, she visited Planta General Savio for the first time, holding her father’s hand who had worked in the Maintenance area at the Ensenada Plant.
Marianny Perdomo. She’s a Command Activator Technician. She provides support to the production and shipment programming lines. She was born in Venezuela. She arrived in Argentina in 2019 She started working at Ternium a year ago. Her first position at the Ensenada Plant was as a Coil Dispatcher. Today he works in Florencio Varela. He emphasizes that his day begins and ends with a smile.
Debora Vega. It is one of the first car lift and crane operators at the Sidercrom Plant (Ramallo). He studied at Technical School 6 and did internships at Plant. It transports tin packages of about 1,700 kilos each.
Yulia Vargas. He has been working at Ternium for a month and a half. She is an Electrical Engineer, born in Venezuela. She applied through LinkedIn to fill her current position. Most of his time is devoted to fieldwork at the Rosario Plant.
María Laura Fernández. She has a degree in Business Administration, this month she turned 24 years old at Ternium, she has four people in charge and is responsible for the Programming and Dispatch area of the Rosario Plant.
How do you see the inclusion of women in Ternium Argentina today?
Miriam Navarro: I think it’s great that they keep adding value. Since I joined, I always expected us to be more girls. It was something that happened slowly but now we are more. Some started to cover vacations and stayed.
I am the only woman. I wasn’t afraid of whether I’d be able to adapt to them or not, but if they would feel comfortable working with me. We adapt very well. We have a women's changing room on the ground now, it was finished last year, at the end of December.
Agostina Longarzo: Women (because of culture or necessity) are always assuming a much greater mental load than men. Even if the tasks are shared with men, it is proven that motherhood has a much higher physical and intellectual load, especially during the first years. There is very goodwill on the part of the company to reduce the gender gap. However, in positions of higher hierarchy or at small tables where decisions are made, female participation is very low. It is very common in the job market and Ternium is no exception. The reasons why women do not reach positions of power as easily as men are cultural, we can name the famous "glass ceiling" or the constant "mansplaining". It is not easy to break with so many cultural biases that all of us carry. But the company makes an effort to reduce it. There is a lot of work to do, but we are moving through it.
Romina Natale: There are opportunities for everyone. In my case, the time will come when I know how to handle the entire line. As other changes occur and we continue to evolve, we will continue to improve.
Nora Mucciolo: Currently, we are about 10 girls, including the Head, the Operators, and the Engineers in Ramallo. The number was growing. The facilities are also adequate. In my case, I was using the lactation room, I think it’s great because of the comfort that one has to be able to come to work calmly and sustain breastfeeding. It is a very positive change. The room is located very close, between Serviacero and Sidercrom. I'm the only one using it at the moment.
Maria Laura Fernandez: We have super challenging goals, which change every month. The only way to achieve them is through teamwork that precisely implies diversity, not only of gender but of points of view, nationalities, choices, ways of life. Diversity enriches. That is something that the company has been promoting for a long time and it is the only way to achieve results.
Yulia Vargas: Before joining, I was afraid I wouldn’t be contacted because I was a woman, and I knew that I was in competition with other people. Reality showed me that when I competed, there were no differences and that I was incorporated because I had the profile they were looking for for the position. I was very well received in the sector. I’m giving my best. One as a woman should have no limitations. I hope to be able to contribute so that the final product remains what it is.
Would you recommend Ternium as a place to work?
Agostina Longarzo: Yes. I celebrate that there are more and more women occupying positions in the industry and the toughest areas. I worked with female interns and the diversity in the offices and the operational areas is very noticeable as well. The inclusion of women is important in order to add a spectrum of analysis and review of issues that could provide more holistic solutions to certain problems. That inclusion became something daily, and this industry is nothing more than a representation of what is lived in society.
I believe that the company has a fairly-equal vision of opportunities for both genders. That makes one want to grow and progress.
Romina Natale: Yes, of course. The theme of inclusion is great because it opened people's heads a lot. The generational change is very big, and the younger people already have it incorporated. Inclusion is not always equal.
We are all different both physically and intellectually. I don't have the same strength as a man, but I apply techniques to achieve it. The factory (I repeat) is a range of possibilities.
Nora Mucciolo: I would definitely recommend this place to work. It is comfortable for women, we do tasks that we can do and we have the clothing for it. The treatment is excellent. Before entering Ternium, she worked at a contracting firm. My husband is a commercial employee, and we organize ourselves with family life, school, baby care, and housework.
Debora Vega: To a woman considering working in this industry, I would tell her to take heart. Today the company offers all job opportunities and gives you the tools to grow.
Marianny Perdomo: Yes, Ternium is my second home. It is winning and winning, turning weaknesses into strengths. I like to encourage teamwork, give a hand to my colleagues, strength, and encouragement. The performance of an indicator is measured with the work team, nothing is ever efficient without people. Fellowship is very important.