Editor’s note: CAP employees have unique backgrounds and experiences, shaping us as an organization and reflecting the diverse communities we serve. Chris Kloskin joined CAP in October 2021 as an electrical engineer and is now a senior electrical engineer, working on one of the largest water delivery systems in the country.
As a child, Senior Electrical Engineer Chris Kloskin was captivated by the stars that stood out in the dark skies and considered being an astronomer. So, how did he end up making his professional mark by working on arc-flash studies and backup generator projects for one of the largest water delivery systems in the country?
He worked hard, paid attention and said “yes” when opportunities showed up.
Growing up in Scottsdale, Kloskin loved the outdoors and playing baseball. When he decided neither of those would result in a career, he turned his focus to academics.
He hit the books and started thinking about things he enjoyed and experiences he’d had. He liked building things with his hands. He was fascinated with gadgets, tinkering and taking things apart. Then, he had the opportunity to work with his father, an electrician. It was interesting … and very physical … work.
“Working with my dad was a great opportunity to earn money and learn a lot,” says Kloskin. “It also implanted that it’s extremely hard work.”
Most importantly, he realized he enjoyed working in the electrical field, so majoring in electrical engineering felt like a natural fit – and a way to honor his dad – though Kloskin admits he briefly flirted with the idea of filmmaking.
“I didn’t want to be a starving artist,” he says with a laugh. “Engineering felt like the safer choice.”
Kloskin attended Arizona State University on a scholarship, lived at home just five miles from campus and graduated debt-free. As he started to look for jobs, he discovered the job market was sluggish and engineering jobs were difficult to find. Through one of his dad’s industry connections, Chris landed an interview with a small electrical engineering firm.
The owner’s pitch was blunt.
“He told me, ‘I’m going to work your butt off and pay you $10 an hour, but you’re going to learn,’” says Kloskin.
He declined the job and walked away … and then reality set in. Kloskin realized it was a good opportunity, so he accepted the job. He learned quickly the owner’s pitch was spot-on – he worked super hard and learned that humility was part of the deal.
“That year taught me I’m not above anything or anyone,” says Kloskin. “Just because I had earned my degree didn’t mean I knew what I was doing.”
Fortunately, Kloskin learned fast, and soon another opportunity showed up and he took it – a job as an electrical designer at Arizona Pinnacle Engineering. In that position, he was first introduced to CAP, working as a consultant on backup power projects for checks and turnouts.
“I didn’t know anything about CAP until my position at Pinnacle allowed me to work on the system,” says Kloskin.
He immediately felt drawn to CAP and the employees he met. He saw the work was varied and interesting … and above all, the work was important.
“CAP delivers water to people in a desert,” says Kloskin. “I knew that would be incredibly rewarding.”
The next opportunity for Kloskin was a position with kW Engineering where he spent two years putting in long hours working in data centers. When his “final” opportunity appeared — a position at CAP for an electrical engineer – he didn’t hesitate. He applied, was selected and joined the team in 2021.
As an electrical engineer, Kloskin started working on capital improvements, work that focuses on equipment that has reached the end of its life and needs to be replaced. Working on 50-year-old infrastructure presented challenges he hadn’t faced before.
“Most of the equipment we work on is part of already-existing systems,” he says. “You can’t just make rooms bigger. You have to make the new fit into what’s already there. That’s one of the things that makes this work exciting.”
Another part of his work that was exciting became one of his proudest accomplishments. He and a co-worker spotted a problem – and an opportunity – related to arc-flash requirements. New regulations meant that every piece of electrical equipment needed an arc-flash label – a custom study done for everything above 50 volts … thousands of pieces of equipment.
It was a daunting task. Kloskin accepted the challenge and dug deeper. Rather than treating each site individually, they grouped like pieces of equipment.
They looked at industry standards and real-world risk … examined lab data that demonstrated whether you could sustain an arc flash at that specific voltage.
“We found that due to the low voltage and nature of single phase, you can’t sustain an arc flash or create a fire,” says Kloskin.
Armed with that information, the two drafted a comprehensive white paper outlining a standardized approach that balances safety with practicality. It took nine months of research, late nights and persistence – but it will ultimately cover 100 sites, close more than 70 work orders and guide CAP’s approach long after Chris moves on.
“This project’s impact will last longer than me,” he says. “That feels good.”
The white paper was only one of Kloskin’s projects. He has also been involved in major efforts like the Water Education Center and the replacement of backup generators across CAP facilities, a multi-year effort that will eventually see him touch nearly every site in the system.
“I’m constantly impressed by CAP,” says Kloskin. “Impressed by what has been built over the last 50 years, how lean we are as a staff and the impact we have to the state of Arizona.”
What keeps him engaged, though, is people. He credits supervisors and mentors who push him to grow and a culture where collaboration matters.
“This place feels like a community,” he says. “People want to help.”
Outside of work, Chris and his wife — who he met on a blind date and married one month after starting at CAP — stay busy hiking, traveling and enjoying tabletop role-playing games at a local pub. They honeymooned in New Zealand, have explored Japan and plan trips around national parks whenever they can. Zion tops his list.
Looking ahead, Kloskin is focused on continuing to learn, diving deeper into controls, relays and pumps and taking on more leadership as he moves into the senior engineer role.
“I embrace opportunities,” he says. “That’s how I’ve ended up where I am.”
From a $10-an-hour job to projects that shape CAP’s future, Chris Kloskin’s path has been anything but accidental. It’s been built one decision at a time: pay attention, work hard and grab the opportunity when it shows up.
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