Electric Utility Operations

Line Life Podcast: Women on the Line, Part 1,: Featuring Susan Blaser

March 16, 2023

After working as the first female journey-level lineworker at her utility, Susan went on to train students for careers in the line trade at Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City.

Amy Fischbach

Related To: Huskie Tools

Many years ago, when I first started covering the line trade for T&D World magazine, I met Susan Blaser at the International Lineman's Rodeo. Today, the former journey-level lineworker for Kansas City Power & Light (now Evergy) is the lineman program coordinator at Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City.

For our March 2023 Line Life Podcast, which is sponsored by Huskie Tools, we are celebrating women in the line trade by sharing Susan's story. Susan started her apprenticeship in 1989, when few women were working in the line trade and even fewer had topped out as journey-level lineworkers.

Despite challenges, the mom of five pushed forward, and she eventually became the first woman to reach the journey-level status at not only her company, but also in the state of Missouri. Later on in her career, she was inducted into the National Lineman Hall of Fame, and she works to train young men and women for careers in the line trade.

She describes the opportunities for women in the trade as "unlimited" and "open door," and she encourages young women to consider a career as a lineworker. To learn more, listen to the podcast episode by clicking on the link below.

Also, email us at [email protected] with your comments on this episode, voice memos and suggestions for future guests. Follow us at The Line Life Podcast on Podbean to be notified when new episodes are released.

About the Author

Amy Fischbach | Amy Fischbach, EUO Contributing Editor

Amy Fischbach is the Field Editor for T&D World magazine and manages the Electric Utility Operations section. She is the host of the Line Life Podcast, which celebrates the grit, courage and inspirational teamwork of the line trade. She also works on the annual Lineworker Supplement and the Vegetation Management Supplement as well as the Lineman Life and Lineman's Rodeo News enewsletters. Amy also covers events such as the Trees & Utilities conference and the International Lineman's Rodeo. She is the past president of the ASBPE Educational Foundation and ASBPE and earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from Kansas State University. She can be reached at [email protected].