HOLTVILLE – Calexico resident Irma Robles has been aggressively searching for a job since returning to the Imperial Valley from Indiana nearly six months ago.
“It’s been tough,” Robles said. “After I came home it hit me that I needed to get job, but all I’ve been able to do is look.”
Through her general office assistant training at one of the local One Stop Career Centers, Robles learned of the Mount Signal Solar PV Job Fair, which was held at the Barbara Worth Resort and Country Club here Thursday.
Hosted by the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corp., the fair served as a method for Abengoa to prescreen local job seekers prior to the construction of the 200-megawatt solar photovoltaic project slated to begin this month in Calexico.
Abengoa is the international company selected to carry out the engineering, construction and start-up of the photovoltaic project.
The project is said to employ more than 1,000 residents for an 18-month period, and Robles is hoping she is one of them.
“Even my dad came to the fair with me because we’re both in need of jobs,” Robles said.
More than 1,000 people attended the first session of the fair, which included a few presentations about the work people would be doing.
Fellow Calexico resident Herlinda Garcia said she was optimistic about securing a job in the project.
“I worked at Ormat for a number of years before they had to lay people off due to cuts,” Garcia said. “Although geothermal isn’t the same as solar power I’m hoping it’ll give me some sort of advantage over other people.
Although people who are hired will only have a guaranteed job for 18 months, Sean Wilcock, IVEDC vice president of business services, felt the opportunity would last much longer.
“All the people who are hired will receive training and be paid for it,” Wilcock said. “In addition to that they will receive credit that will apply to their college transcript if they have one.”
Staff Writer Karina Lopez can be reached at 760-337-3439 or klopez@ivpressonline.com
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