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A Catalyst for Inspiration
Electric lineworker breaks barriers
March is National Women’s History Month, a special time to recognize women who have broken down barriers to contribute to their communities and create opportunities for themselves and others. According to the National Women’s History Alliance, this year’s theme is “Moving Forward Together: Women Educating and Inspiring Generations.” Westerville Electric Division (WED) Lineworker Terin Seevers fits the theme perfectly as she inspires current and future generations as the division’s first and only female lineworker.
Igniting a Spark
Seevers’ interest in linework sparked at a young age. She began a powerline exploration program in eighth grade through the Shenandoah School District in Sarahsville, Ohio, then began a semester-long program in her sophomore year of high school through a career development program at the MidEast Career Center in Zanesville, Ohio. As a high school senior, Seevers was hired as a part-time preapprentice at WED to further explore her interest. Seevers grew up on a farm and was excited about the prospect of working outdoors and she also loved to climb, so she did not shy away from the physical and mental demands of the program, and always viewed herself as equal to her male counterparts.
“You just have to have a good mindset and work hard for it,” said Seevers. “Just because you're a woman doesn't mean that men have it easier. I had apprentices who were the same age as me, going through the same steps as me, and they had it just as hard, because they're also trying to learn. If it's something you truly love and you really desire to do, you just have to stick with it.”
And that she did. Seevers was a standout student and joined WED full-time after graduating high school and successfully completing the career exploration program at the top of her class.
Paving the Way for Herself and Others
Since beginning her full-time role as a lineworker in 2017, Seevers has continued to be a valued member of the WED team and the Westerville community.
“I just love doing the job itself, getting to go up in the primary and working with the guys,” said Seevers. “We have such a tight-knit group here. Everybody's awesome to work with and we have a lot of very amazing, supportive residents.”
Seevers also serves as a mutual aid lineworker through a partnership between WED and the public power utility members of American Municipal Power. So far, Seevers has gone on three mutual aid trips to help restore power in Tallahassee, Florida, in 2018 after Hurricane Michael; Tallahassee and Suwannee County, Florida, following Hurricane Idalia in 2023; and Lakeland, Florida following Hurricane Milton in 2024. Working in mutual aid presents different challenges, as Seevers is often one of few women lineworkers present, if any, out of thousands.
“When I go on a storm trip, it's a little bit different because not everybody sees a female in the line of work directly,” said Seevers. “I usually start out with some jokes and break the ice a little bit so people will not be so stiff.”
Given the nature of the mutual aid work, Seevers and the other crew members have very little preparation time–ranging from a few days to as little as a few hours. During the 2024 mutual aid trip, Seevers was away from her family for nine days, but she says preparation has been the key to smooth transitions as she goes from linework in Westerville to communities that have been impacted by natural disasters.
“You're going into an area with so much devastation. There might not be anywhere that you can get anything for a while,” said Seevers. “So it's a matter of making sure I have everything when I leave. It's really stressful now that I have two children. I didn't have any children for my first storm, so it’s a big change.
"Last year, when we went to help with the storm, my daughter was 10 months old and my son was 4. It was hard to explain to him, because he doesn’t fully understand,” said Seevers.
To make sure she’s prepared whenever duty calls, Seevers now keeps a checklist and a packed bag with essentials. Providing mutual aid has become one of her favorite parts of her job, despite the challenges of juggling multiple roles in her personal and professional life.
“I’m helping people who are in a bad situation. I don't know if they have meat in the freezers or a medical issue. Some people have small kids at home that they're trying to explain, ‘Hey, we don't have TV right now. I have no way of charging your tablet,’” said Seevers. “I’m helping people, and to me, that's huge. It's the best feeling ever.”
After mutual aid trips, Seevers always looks forward to resuming work with the WED crew, as well as giving back to the high schoolers who are now employed with WED through the apprenticeship program.
Passing Down Knowledge
Seevers’ daily work routine can vary greatly depending on her assignment, but she and the other WED lineworkers welcome apprentices to shadow them as they complete various tasks to showcase techniques and operations in the field.
When asked what advice she would offer people considering entering the field, Seevers shared the following:
“I would definitely say that this is a good career to look in to. It's stable work, consistent, and as long as you prioritize safety, you're going to be fine,” said Seevers. “For any women coming into this career, don't shy away from it just because it's a male-dominated field. Women don't always have the upper body strength that men do, so you just have to figure out what works best for you.”
In addition to her work in the field, Seevers has also taken college-level electrical engineering courses throughout the years. However, she’s currently focusing on her career as a lineworker as she continues to inspire people including the rare woman who may be interested in linework to pursue their dreams no matter how challenging they may be.
Pre-Apprentice Program
WED’s pre-apprentice program provides opportunities for high school students to explore electric-related careers, including linework and electrical engineering, in real-world environments. Westerville City School District students interested in the program should contact their school counselors to learn more.
