Hagåtña, Guam — Guam Green Growth (G3) Makerspace Fellow Justin Joseph Cruz has officially signed a workforce agreement under the NSF Navigating Home Fellowship, a program led by the University of Guam’s Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant (UOG CIS & Sea Grant). The agreement secures Cruz’s placement at the G3 Makerspace, where he will spend the next year developing sustainable solutions and gaining hands-on professional experience in Guam’s growing green economy.
“Justin Cruz represents the kind of homegrown talent Guam needs. He’s taken his skills, his experience as a combat veteran, and his passion for sustainability, and is putting them to work right here at home. This fellowship is an investment not just in Justin, but in our island’s future, and we’re proud to support it,” said Acting Governor Tenorio.
Cruz, a 2009 graduate of Okkodo High School and U.S. Army combat veteran, brings a wealth of experience in fabrication, welding, and CNC machining. He’s worked as a finish carpenter, welder, and fabricator on the island and holds advanced technical certifications from Universal Technical Institute and NTMA Machinist Career College in California. Through the Navigating Home Fellowship, Cruz will receive mentorship, attend professional development workshops, and participate in outreach promoting STEM education across Guam. In turn, he’s committed to remaining on island and contributing to Guam’s STEM workforce for at least one year following his fellowship. Cruz’s fellowship is made possible through funding from the National Science Foundation, which supports the Navigating Home Program to help talented individuals like Justin gain the skills, connections, and opportunities they need to build lasting careers on island.
“Justin’s passion for solving problems through sustainability and innovation makes him a perfect fit for this fellowship, and his focus on turning ‘trash into treasure’, especially through plastic recycling and 3D printing, supports our efforts to inspire our circular economy practices and empower our local workforce,” added Acting Governor Tenorio.
“It’s too easy to go to the states to get another job to possibly provide a better life for me and my family,” said Cruz, sharing why he wanted to return to Guam and serve his island as a problem solver. “If we don’t fix it ourselves, it will never get fixed.”
To watch Monday’s signing ceremony, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZURbrpj4I9E. For more information about the Navigating Home Fellowship or the G3 Makerspace, visit navigatinghomeproject.com/guam-hub.
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