ARKANSAS, USA — Entergy Arkansas introduced the company's first-ever female line worker, Sara Russell-Lingo, a 25-year-old from South Bend.
Russell-Lingo began taking classes for line working at UA Pulaski Tech looking for a career after previously working warehouse and retail jobs and was hired by Entergy Arkansas in May.
She was interested in the idea of working outdoors, helping people, and earning good pay, Entergy Arkansas said in a website blog post.
“I love the adventure,” Russell-Lingo said. “I love going to communities; their lights are off and they're all grumpy and upset, and we leave and they're just all smiling and happy.”
Although she was admittedly not mechanically inclined, she was hired due to her grades and attitude. She remembers being top of the class during a pole-climbing drill at boot camp, too.
“You don't just hop on a pole and go up. It’s rhythm. You got to find your rhythm,” she said.
It also helps that she isn't afraid of heights.
On top of making company history, she's also changing what it looks like for women in a male-dominated field.
“I pulled up to this house one time and got out of the truck and put my hard hat on and everything. This girl looks at her mom and says, ‘Mom, it's Superwoman!’”