Grupo Minero Sinchi Wayra
2026 Regional Winner | Learning Excellence
Industry
Mining
Company HQ
La Paz, Bolivia
Number of Employees
1,800+
Office Locations
Bolivia
Beyond compliance: how Sinchi Wayra transformed learning across the organization with Udemy
Business outcomes
$377,000+
total learning value generated
286%
estimated ROI (2025)
$3.86
value created per dollar invested
Challenge
Building beyond compliance
Grupo Minero Sinchi Wayra is one of Bolivia’s leading underground mining companies, operating across multiple sites and employing more than 1,800 people. As part of Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. (Nasdaq: SCZM), the company produces zinc and lead concentrates with silver content while driving responsible mining practices that prioritize safety, operational excellence, sustainability, and innovation. In an industry where continuous adaptation is essential, Sinchi Wayra has made learning and capability development a strategic pillar to build a safer, more agile, and future-ready workforce.
For decades, learning in the mining industry has been largely associated with compliance, technical certifications, and mandatory safety training. While these remain fundamental, the future of mining demands something more: a workforce that continuously learns, adapts, and develops new capabilities to thrive in an increasingly digital and competitive environment.
At Grupo Minero Sinchi Wayra, this shift required rethinking how to deliver learning. With more than 1,800 employees working across geographically dispersed mining operations and corporate offices, providing equitable access to development opportunities beyond traditional classroom training was a significant challenge. The company needed to equip its people not only with technical expertise, but also with leadership, digital, and business capabilities to support long-term transformation.
Sinchi Wayra wanted every employee, regardless of role or location, to take ownership of their professional growth, while preparing the workforce for strategic priorities including leadership development, digital transformation, and the expansion of enterprise technologies.
“Udemy Business gave us the opportunity to democratize access to world-class learning and make it available on demand across our dispersed operations,” said Yorka Castellón Mendoza, Digital Transformation & Talent Development Superintendent.
“Udemy Business gave us the opportunity to democratize access to world-class learning and make it available on demand across our dispersed operations.”
Solution
Four pillars of a learning ecosystem
Sinchi Wayra treated learning as a strategic transformation initiative rather than a technology implementation. Instead of simply introducing a learning platform, the company designed an ecosystem to make continuous learning an integral part of how the organization grows, develops talent, and prepares for the future.
The approach rests on four pillars:
• Democratized access: Sinchi Wayra provided Udemy Business to more than 1,800 employees, from frontline mining operations to corporate teams and leaders, removing barriers of geography, work schedules, and classroom-based training
• Business alignment: learning focused on capabilities the organization needs to remain competitive, including leadership, digital transformation, productivity, project management, and enterprise technologies
• Embedded in the rhythm of business: HR partnered with leaders to share monthly adoption dashboards, executive reports by department, and curated learning campaigns, reinforcing that development is a shared business responsibility
• Integrated talent initiatives: Udemy Business became a foundational element supporting leadership development, digital transformation, technology adoption, and capability building across the organization
By continuously measuring adoption, engaging leaders, and aligning learning with business priorities, Sinchi Wayra scaled the initiative across the organization.
“By embedding Udemy Business into the rhythm of our business, we made learning a shared responsibility rather than an isolated HR initiative,” Yorka Castellón said.
“By embedding Udemy Business into the rhythm of our business, we made learning a shared responsibility rather than an isolated HR initiative.”
Results
$377,000 in learning value and a 286% ROI
The greatest achievement was not simply increasing learning activity but transforming the role of learning within the organization. What began as a digital learning platform evolved into a culture where continuous development became embedded in everyday work.
The measurable impact was significant. Since implementing Udemy Business, employees generated more than $270,000 in equivalent learning value through courses completed. Technical certification preparation delivered more than $105,000 in further value, bringing the total learning value to more than $377,000. During 2025 alone, estimated ROI was 286%; every dollar invested created about $3.86 in learning value.
Beyond financial impact, learning became a strategic capability. Employees actively developed skills in leadership, digital transformation, business management, project management, productivity, enterprise technologies, and other future-focused capabilities that directly support long-term organizational priorities. The most meaningful outcome was cultural: continuous learning is no longer an isolated HR initiative but a shared responsibility, with employees seeking learning proactively and leaders promoting development within their teams.
“With Udemy, we transformed learning into a strategic capability that empowers our people, strengthens our organization, and generates measurable business value,” Yorka Castellón said.
“With Udemy, we transformed learning into a strategic capability that empowers our people, strengthens our organization, and generates measurable business value.”
Looking Ahead
Building capabilities ahead of change
At Sinchi Wayra, innovation begins with people who are prepared to adopt it. As the industry evolves through digitalization, automation, AI, and new ways of working, developing the right capabilities is essential to sustaining operational excellence and competitiveness.
Udemy Business enables the company to proactively prepare its workforce by providing immediate access to high-quality learning in emerging and business-critical topics. Rather than reacting to change after it occurs, Sinchi Wayra is intentionally building a workforce that continuously develops the skills needed to embrace new technologies and lead innovation.
“Innovation doesn’t begin with technology—it begins with people who are prepared to adopt it. Udemy Business gives us the agility to build those capabilities ahead of change, making learning a driver of transformation rather than a response to it,” Yorka Castellón said.
“Innovation doesn’t begin with technology—it begins with people who are prepared to adopt it. Udemy Business gives us the agility to build those capabilities ahead of change, making learning a driver of transformation rather than a response to it.”
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