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‘Highly technical skills necessary to CUC’
Camacho
Commonwealth Utilities Corp. executive director Gary Camacho understands the importance of all their workers—whether local hire or those under the CW-1 program—that help maintain their power and water facilities.
CUC is one of the two agencies that has “critical occupations” that Gov. Ralph DLG Torres asked U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services should prioritize with their CW1 permit applications. The Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. is the other agency.
Torres asked USCIS to reserve 60 CW-1 permits in fiscal year 2019 for occupational categories related to CUC’s operations that include water/wastewater engineers, electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, and trades technicians.
In an interview during Monday’s ribbon-cutting of the As Terlaje 1-million-gallon water tank, Camacho said that most of the work that’s being performed at CUC is highly technical.
“We have to understand that the work being performed at the power plant, not only CWs but all employees, and the other areas of this corporation is highly technical. It is highly dangerous for the most part. It requires a lot of experience and a lot of understanding of the work,” said Camacho.
He added that they need the right people as they try to get more power engines back online while replacing the older ones. “It is highly technical and highly complicated. It is extremely sophisticated. We need to have some of these people. …We’ve had some of these guys for multiple years, with 20-plus years of experience.”
Camacho said he’s pleased with the efforts to prioritize their personnel involved in power and water maintenance.
“The rate of the economic growth we’ve been having in the last few years is extremely challenging on any infrastructure. But like anything else, we’re committed to doing the best that we can and to take on these challenges,” he said. “I’m fortunate to have a wonderful group of people in all levels and areas of these corporation to be able to assist and put their hand in providing the best utility service, a modern and more effective efficient utility forward.”
Torres, in his letter to USCIS, said CUC has labor demands that’s specific to engineering and trades occupations, that’s why maintaining their services should be a priority.
