Universidad Nacional Agraria and MLR Forestal deepen their relations

The relationship between the Universidad Nacional Agraria (UNA) and MLR Forestal begán in 2021 with two students. These university students, both originally from the North Caribbean, learned about MLR Forestal through friends and family and chose the company to do their internship because the UNA allows them to self-locate for this purpose. These first two practitioners commented on MLR with other classmates and this year there were already seven UNA students doing practical hours in the offices and plantations in Siuna.

“The boys gave us the (MLR) data, we contacted a manager, we sent them the application letters; MLR agreed and very kindly welcomed our students,” says Heyddy González Luna, coordinator of the Forestry Engineering career at the National Agrarian University.

Recently, González and Lucilizabeth Pérez, coordinator of the Natural Resources Engineering career, visited the MLR headquarters in Siuna, talked with Mabel Lazo, responsible for Social Management and also with their own students. At the end of the activity they valued positively everything they found.

“We were surprised by the number of people they employ in MLR Forestal and especially because they give opportunities to the people of the communities both in the field and in the offices. I personally returned very happy,” González said.

Students of three careers of Universidad Nacional Agraria carry out internships

Mabel Lazo, head of Social Management at MLR Forestal, explained that in the company they have a commission that specifically attends to applications for internships. “This commission is made up of Human Resources and Social Management and from it students are asked for their profile to place them in the area that is most compatible with their studies in order to offer them a better experience. Currently the students belong to three careers that are Forestry Engineering, Natural Resources Engineering and Environmental Health and are in the areas of quality monitoring, forestry and nursery”.

Erick Gutierrez, a third-year student of Forestry Engineering is one of these practitioners. He said he learned about MLR through social networks and through some friends. “On social networks I saw about the biodiversity it had and the teak and cocoa plantations. During my time in the company I have known both the area of forestry and exploitation. I have been in the plantations, in the extraction of wood and in general I have had many experiences that will help me in the race,” he said.

Gutierrez, 19 years old and originally from Tipitapa said he was very grateful to the company “for having given me the hand to start knowing the world of work” and within what he liked most about the experience he mentioned “socialization with people and with the community that has welcomed me with great affection and respect,” he said.

The project to formalize the relationship with the university

On behalf of MLR Forestal, Lazo said that “communication with the university will be maintained and we will formalize the relationship and build an agreement with them as we have done with the universities present in this area such as URACCAN and martín Lutero University.”

In the same vein, González commented that Universidad Nacional Agraria hopes “to always have the mlR door open for the boys not only to do internships because unfortunately they only last one month and it is very little, but also to be able to do internships that last four months and are a way of culminating studies. At the same time, both parties are interested in establishing an agreement because we would very much like both institutions to benefit.”