Susan
Robinson Electrical and Instrumentation Technician
Before Susan Robinson became an electrical and instrumentation
technician, she was stuck in minimum-wage jobs. After graduating
from high school, Susan worked at a fast food restaurant
and a factory. She was working 60-hour weeks to support
her family.
When she moved to a new city so her husband could get more
carpentry work, she had a hard time finding higher-paying
jobs. She applied for lots of jobs but had no luck. Susan
needed more than a high school diploma to get jobs making
more money.
"I was so stressed,” Susan says. “I was
working 60 hours every week and my husband was working hard
too. We were barely making ends meet." Susan decided
to go back to school and get more skills.
She met with a career counselor at a local community college
and decided to study electrical/electronic automated systems
technology. Susan could learn how to wire the houses her
husband was building. One day, they could try to start their
own business.
Susan was the only woman in her class, so she felt intimidated
in the beginning. She studied hard and stayed focused. Her
husband took on extra work so she could quit her jobs and
go to school full time. She learned basic wiring, electrical
theory, troubleshooting, and how to build wiring systems.
When she was almost finished with school, Susan got a part-time
job at a chemical company. When she got her Associate’s
Degree, she was hired full-time as an electrical and instrumentation
technician. She was the first woman graduate of her program.
Now Susan works for a chemical company and helps them operate
and maintain their electrical and technical equipment. She
fixes and replaces equipment, troubleshoots problems, installs
parts, and tests systems. She also builds the best systems
for her company.
”My work is very challenging,” Susan says.
"You have to know what you’re doing or you could
really get hurt. I’m always thinking and planning,
and that’s really different from all my other jobs.
I also have regular hours and a steady income, so that means
I can spend more time with my family.”
She’s been with her company for 9 years now. She
even teaches part-time at her community college, helping
other students follow their dreams.
Susan
Robinson
