How My Engineering Background Started
My career began at the age of 22 as a college hire in Worcester, Massachusetts, working for Verizon. I was tasked with managing 15 male telephone technicians, aged 40-60. On my first day, I arrived at a construction garage wearing a pencil skirt suit and high heels. The garage was filled with utility pickup trucks, vans, bucket trucks, and line trucks. When I walked in, everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at me. Confidently—but arrogantly—I announced that I was their new supervisor. Their expressions looked like they were being Punk’d. Some of the men were welcoming, while others were cold but polite.
The first few weeks were challenging. I didn’t know what I was doing and felt out of place. I quickly realized that high heels and suits were neither practical nor the right fit for this environment. More importantly, I learned that respect is earned, not given.
I started tagging along with different technicians to understand their work. I soon realized these men had been doing this job for over 25 years and didn’t need micromanaging from an inexperienced 22-year-old. Some had been in the field longer than I had been alive! I quickly dropped my arrogant “I’m the boss” attitude, swapped my suit for Levi’s jeans and steel-toe boots, and got to work.
I went into manholes, learned how to splice cables, and troubleshot no-dial-tone issues. Despite my fear of heights, I even enrolled in a pole-climbing class. Picture a 128-pound girl struggling to climb a pole while carrying a heavy tool belt—I must have looked ridiculous! But that experience taught me what it truly takes to do their job and, in turn, earned their respect. I gained a deep appreciation for their hard work, and they respected my dedication to learning their craft. This hands-on experience shaped my work ethic and ensured I would never shy away from rolling up my sleeves and getting the job done.
What I Enjoy Most About Working in the Engineering Industry:
Relationships – My colleagues motivate and challenge me to perform at my best, offering unique perspectives and fostering a positive work environment. It is truly a blessing to collaborate with people who love what they do.
Impact – I love making a positive impact and seeing the tangible results of my work. I lead a high-impact team of 13 elite core engineers, building and optimizing fiber optics network infrastructure. Our work delivers ultra-fast 1Gig fiber services, Fiber-to-the-Tower (FT3), Ethernet solutions, voice conversion, and transport.
I take immense pride in bringing fiber-optic internet to rural America. Reliable internet service opens doors for rural schoolchildren to access comprehensive educational opportunities, fosters job creation and innovation, and enables communities to provide top-tier healthcare services.
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Happy International Women in Engineering Day!
