Jewel Everett Of Louisiana, Becomes First Woman Lineworker For LUS Fiber

There are a dwindling number of skilled line workers, leaving a hole in the job market that desperately needs to be filled. To help fill that void, South Louisiana Community College in Lafayette, Louisiana, started a Power Lineman program to teach folks the tools and tricks of the trade. Now, the first woman to graduate from the program has broken more boundaries by becoming LUS Fiber’s first female lineworker.

Jewel Everett wasn’t looking to break boundaries, of course, she was looking for a career. “I’ve always liked doing hard work, and doing hard work comes with making good money and also helping people in a big way," Everett told Lafayette’s local paper, The Advertiser.

She signed up for SLCC’s 25-week program and not only got her Commercial Drivers’ License, but was trained in the specific skills required to become a lineworker, including learning to work in buckets, climb utility poles, and getting some first aid training in case anything goes wrong on the job.

The graduates of SLCC’s program tend to get jobs quickly, as their skills are desperately needed. The Advertiser notes that when “the program's first cohort graduated in January 2020, all 16 people had jobs lined up before their graduation day.” Upon her graduation, Everett was hired by LUS Fiber. There was one problem though—as the first woman to join the team, they didn’t have clothes or equipment that fit her.

Fortunately that has been sorted and Everett is now on the job. She can be spotted around Lafayette and Acadiana up a pole, in her bucket, or up a ladder installing fiber lines, other necessary infrastructure, and installing advanced network gear around town.

Congratulations Jewel!

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