A Powerful Experience

October 20th, 2022

Rachel Hines

Career stories from women in the energy industry

Last fall, a group of young women took advantage of an opportunity to see firsthand what it’s like to work on a utility line crew.

They climbed poles, strung wire, operated a bucket truck and used a hot stick on a deenergized circuit, in addition to hearing career stories from women in the energy industry.

The 2022 Girl Power Camp is scheduled for Dec. 2 at the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Electric Cooperative Training Center in Palmyra, Va.

Although we continue to see more women take on roles in the operations field, attracting them to the responsibilities and teamwork of a line crew remains a challenge.

The electric cooperatives of Virginia, Maryland and Delaware are excited to offer this one-day energy career experience for high school girls interested or curious about working on a line crew, in a substation or other areas of the power industry.

Once again, high school girls interested in the power industry are invited to attend the camp.

No experience is required. Nearly all of last year’s attendees had no experience climbing a pole.

“It was kind of nerve-wracking at first but once you got the hang of it, to keep one leg straight at all times, it was kind of like a breeze after that,” says Rachel Hines of Rockbridge County High School in Lexington, Va., who joined her sister, McKenzie, at the 2021 camp.

Campers will participate in hands-on activities like last year, but will also be able to visit with electric cooperative personnel and others from the power industry about possible career paths and workplace culture.

Job interview coaching will also be available at the camp. Young women in high school, or recently graduated, interested in attending are encouraged to contact their local electric cooperative’s communications department.

Electric cooperative membership is not required to attend. If you do not belong to a co-op, please email jrobertson@vmdaec.com to inquire about Girl Power Camp.