One of them would be the 'UCLM Rural' program, which allows students to complete their training in companies, institutions and associations in rural areas and sparsely populated towns.
On the table they have also put the development of a pilot program at the Champinter facilities or the training and visits of UCLM students to the cooperative facilities.
The University of Castilla-La Mancha and the Champinter Cooperative Society, a member company of the Association of Importers and Exporters of Albacete (ADIEX) and FEDA, dedicated to the cultivation of mushrooms and other fungi, have analyzed various ways of collaboration in the academic field during the course of the visit that the rector, Julián Garde; and the vice-rector for Innovation, Employment and Entrepreneurship, Ángela González, recently attended the company's facilities located in Villamalea (Albacete).
Together with the president of Champinter, Elías Olmeda, they toured the various sections of this cooperative, dedicated to the cultivation of mushrooms and other fungi, learning about the entire production cycle. Likewise, the representatives of the cooperative explained their commitment to the circular economy or to innovative work methods, which include the involvement of workers.
During the meeting, UCLM and Champinter analyzed various channels of communication between both entities, such as the 'UCLM Rural' program, which allows students to complete their training through the development of paid external, curricular and extracurricular internships, in companies, institutions and associations. from the rural environment and from sparsely populated localities of Castilla-La Mancha.
Other issues addressed were the development of a pilot program at the Champinter facilities or the training and visits of UCLM students to the Champinter facilities.
Both the rector of the UCLM and the president of Champinter agreed on the multiple lines of collaboration that can be developed, calling on them to assess them for further development.
On behalf of Champinter, the manager, Abdón Catalán; the co-director, Ismael Cabañero; the person in charge of Labor Relations, Mayte Noguerón; members of the Governing Council of the cooperative and various technicians, in addition to the acting president of ASAJA Castilla-La Mancha, José María Fresneda, who highlighted the numerous collaboration alternatives that can be opened between a leading cooperative such as Champinter and the regional University; and Juan Miguel Cebrián, representative of ASAJA Albacete.
The Champinter Cooperative Society was founded at the end of 1977 by farmers who saw mushroom cultivation as a way of life for the inhabitants of the La Manchuela region. Gradually, it began to gain a foothold in the world of mushrooms, building a new compost plant in 2007 and its products being present in numerous points of sale throughout Spain, Europe and the world.
Champinter has been growing for 45 years hand in hand with its workers; showing all the benefits of mushrooms, creating quality jobs and contributing to the growth of the economy of La Manchuela, Castilla-La Mancha and Spain.
