An exclusive Inside Towers series, created to get a better idea of how many women are climbing towers today, what challenges they faced to get there and what challenges they face on the job site. This is our sixth installment.
April Vollm
Name: April Vollm
Company currently working for: Viaero Wireless
Job name/title: Tower Climber
How did you get started in the tower industry?
“I have been traveling the country and parts of the world as a performer for the last 15 years. During my travels, I would always see these towers in the distance or on the horizon and I thought what an awesome challenge it would be to climb them (and what a view it must be at the top!!). I also wondered who was responsible for climbing them if the lightbulbs ever went out, lol. After a lot of research I found out it was an actual career field. I finally decided to take a break from touring and performing so I could train up for my special operations physical fitness test and I figured now would be a PERFECT time to see if I could actually do one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. I knew the mental and physical challenges that this job offers would go a long way to helping me prepare for upcoming events… and BOY was I right!! lol”
How long have you been climbing?
“I started with Viaero Wireless, which is a company that serves rural Colorado and Nebraska, on November 20, so just over two months.
Biggest like/dislike about it?
LOVE the challenge of the climb. I volunteer to carry the rope and block up for the extra challenge of getting around all our dishes with the extra weight. I also love the constant problem solving aspect of this job. The entire time we are on the tower, your situational awareness has to be ULTRA high. Biggest dislike is definitely when we have negative windchill temperatures and we are up there for hours…..NOT… PLEASANT!!!!!!!!”
Do you feel accepted by largely male crews or has it been a struggle?
“To be completely honest, Viaero has been amazing!! Being a female has never felt like an issue here. I was/am a new guy who needs to prove my worth, just like every other new guy who comes in. I love to learn, I love to work, I love a challenge, and I am here to make sure that I am as big an asset as I can be to my crew.”
Would you recommend this industry to other women and if so what would you warn them about?
“I do not think it matters: man or woman. It is the simple fact that it takes a unique person with the right kind of mentality to be both mentally and physically capable of doing this job day in and day out. Yes, being a woman offers some different challenges, but nothing that cannot be…ummm….figured out, and working for a company like Viaero Wireless that encourages diversity. . So yes, come one, come all…Let’s climb some stuff!!!!”
Have you had any unusual experiences while climbing or at tower site? (good, bad, humorous, terrifying or enlightening)
“A very majestic moment was when a bald eagle flew right by our tower while my crew and I were up top working. We all paused and just watched. Pretty awesome. A couple of moments that will never fail to make me smile:
- I was moving the rope around the tower to another rigging point and I had my phone in my harness playing random music. Just as I was getting ready to try and make a difficult maneuver around a satellite dish “Eye of the Tiger” started to playing…I raised my hands, got pumped up and made that move!! I laughed the rest of the way to the rigging point.
- My coworker was handing me a heavy piece of equipment, but in order to cover the last couple of inches between he and I, he needed to lift his leg over the top cross section. He was leaning at an awkward angle so this simple move took about twelve tries…each with a louder sound effect then the time before. I had tears in my eyes I was laughing so hard…. I do have to say, the sound effects that come out of ALL of us when we are up top trying to maneuver is hilarious!!”
February 1, 2018
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