Somerset, KY– Rodeo queen, firefighter, car racer, Harley builder, and now lineman! Jillian Reed, a 20-year-old Appalachian woman, overcomes the odds and chases her dreams with the Somerset Community College (SCC) lineman program.
At just 14 years old, she was forced to step up as the primary provider for her household after the death of her great-grandfather. Reed dropped out of school and worked three jobs to make ends meet and help her grandmother, René, care for her great-grandmother. From Barbourville, Ky., she worked at the local Waffle House for the first shift, KFC on the second shift, and The Dog Patch on weekends.
Reed’s love for horses was passed down by her Mamaw René. She barrel-raced as a child, and when she turned 14, she began bull riding.
“For a long time, where I was bull riding, I would have little girls come up to me and talk about how much I inspire them and how great it was to see a female riding a bull, which is usually a male-dominant sport,” Reed said.
Those interactions fueled her desire to pursue her love of heights as a career in the male-dominated lineman field.
As her household became more stable, she used her grit and determination, inspired by her Appalachian Mamaw René, to pursue a career that supported her lifestyle of traveling with the rodeo, wanting to see the world, and building a life she could be proud of.
“It affected me a lot. Even though I was younger, I had to step up and be there for my family. Now, I am at the point where my family and I are okay. I am taking my own path now, which is what I am working toward,” Reed said.
Odds may say a high school dropout may not have much to hope for, but this young woman had an Appalachian woman cheering her on every step of the way. Her Mamaw René, whose name is now tattooed on Jillian’s arm, always encouraged her to do her best.
When Reed turned 18, she earned her GED and joined her local East Knox fire department.
Most of her hobbies also involved male-driven activities.
When she moved away from home, she worked as a Harley technician and even rode her motorcycle to school during some of the coldest parts of winter when her truck broke down.
“They gave me a hard time with that,” Reed said. “They thought I was crazy to ride from Barbourville to the lineman school, but I was determined not to miss class.”
Reed also faced challenges during her lineman training when the job she had secured upon returning home refused to accommodate her school schedule.
“They fired me,” Reed said. “Many of the instructors helped me find a job to continue school. They’ve all been very supportive.”
Though the instructors were supportive, her classmates were a different story.
“We had our first test, which was climbing 20 feet up a pole. We had 1 minute and 15 seconds to climb, go around, and come back down. They give you 40 seconds to go up, 15 to go around, and 20 to get down. Before we began, a boy looked at me and said, ‘I don’t know why you showed up today. We all know you can’t do this. We can’t wait to get you out of here.’ I proved him wrong and passed the test.”
Reed had advice for women who want to chase their dreams in male-dominated fields.
“Remind yourself that when people put you down, their time will come. I use it to motivate me and prove them wrong. I say, ‘Now I am going to do it — and do it better than the boys.’ The best part about lineman school is climbing, proving all the boys wrong, and doing it better than them.”
She recently graduated from the SCC Lineman School and plans to find an employer that allows her to travel and save up to build a drift Miata from the frame up and race it. “I love all things racing and cars,” Reed said.
“When traveling with the rodeo, I can take my climbing gear, work as a lineman, and see the U.S. from incredible heights.”
In just eight weeks, Jillian Reed became a skilled lineman. You can, too! Visit somerset.kctcs.edu to learn how you can become a lineman.
Get inspired by the incredible women of Somerset Community College during Women’s History Month. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to catch their amazing stories and achievements. Let’s celebrate their journeys together!
For more photos of Jillian and more SCC women in tech check out this album: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjC5np5
