Climbing Higher: Kirkman, Davis show grit and growth in Highlands College Line Program

When Amelia Kirkman crosses the stage at Montana Technological University’s commencement, the audience will see a confident career-ready graduate. But, the cap and gown obscure the reality of her journey: the 70-foot pole climbed in the pouring rain, the non-standard equipment, the moments of doubt, and the sheer grit that carried her from a tiny Washington town all the way to the pre-apprentice line program in Butte, Montana.

Kirkman grew up in Roy, Washington, a small town of less than 1,000 people. In high school, a career fair changed her trajectory. She attended a session about line workers.

“I thought I’d take my shot and try it out,” she said. She planned to attend a program in Oregon, but also had Highlands College’s 10-week program on her radar. At the last moment, a spot opened up.

“I had to rush out of Washington and scoot on over here,” she said.

Kirkman arrived ready to work—but her gear wasn’t.

“They didn’t have equipment tiny enough for me,” she laughs. “I had to get the extra-small belt, modify it a bit, and set my gaffs on the shortest setting.”

Her instructor even found her smaller tools.

“On the bright side,” she adds, “nobody can mistake my gear for theirs.”

As the only woman in this year’s cohort, she walked into the pole yard with optimism.

“I was ready to make new friends with some of the women,” she said.

Then she realized, she was the only one.

“It was awkward,” she admitted. “Really awkward at first.”

That feeling didn’t last long. The men in the program welcomed her in, answered questions, and climbed beside her every day. The first week nearly broke her.

“We climbed on the first day,” she said. “I didn’t know any of the equipment. I thought there’d be spikes on the boots. Nope—just two little pieces of metal holding you on the pole.”

Every morning began with climbing the practice pole eight times.

“It’s exhausting,” she said “Absolutely exhausting. But without doing that, I wouldn’t have gotten better. I’m not the slowest climber anymore.”

One of her biggest milestones came early: climbing a 70-foot pole in the rain during her second week.

“I stayed in the back all day dreading it,” she said. “Soaking wet, miserable. But when I reached the top, I thought, ‘Okay—this is pretty cool. I understand why people want to do this.’”

Her instructors pushed her, encouraged her, and helped her through moments when she wasn’t sure she could continue.

One day stands out as a turning point.

“There was one week when I was so prepared to leave,” she says. “My instructor pulled me aside and said, ‘We’re going to climb that pole again.’ I couldn’t believe it.”

They climbed together. At the top, he had her walk across a board with only a thin wire for balance.

“It was absolutely terrible,” she said. “But I did it. And it helped. I’m still here.”

Though the work can be grueling—ten-hour days in blistering heat or heavy snow—Kirkman says she loves the physical challenge. She’s used to it. Before Highlands College, she worked at U-Haul for three years, maintaining trucks and working outdoors. She sees opportunity in the hard labor and the trades. After commencement, she plans to hit the road.

“I’m going to sign as many books as I can,” she said, referring to the industry hiring logs. “Maybe grab a buddy or two and go where the work is. There’s not really a set place I want to be. Journeyman at all costs, like my instructor says.”

If she could go back to her high school self, freshly interested in line work after the career fair, she’d offer a few words of wisdom.

“I’d tell her to get over her fear of heights, and that it’s going to be a lot harder than she thinks,” Kirkman said. “But it’s worth it.”

As she crosses the stage at commencement, the audience will cheer—but they may never fully realize just how high she has already climbed.

Classmate Tanner Davis, of Potomac, did not have to face many of the challenges Kirkman did. He wrestled for Big Sky High School—one of the most competitive AA programs in Montana—placing twice at state, most recently fourth as a senior, and is in excellent physical condition as a result. He came into the pre-apprentice line program yearning for a challenging program that would land him in an in-demand and well-paying trade. He knew the job was physical and he looked forward to it.

“I like working hard,” he said. “Working with my hands, working with a team—that’s what drew me in.”

The program delivered.

“They tossed us on the pole the first day,” Davis said. “No messing around. The instructors say nobody starts the semester in line shape. They’re 100 percent right.”

The line program is just one semester long—but students are learning nonstop.

“It’s so much information,” Davis says. “More than I expected. But every single thing we learn is something we’ll use.”

The toughest part for Davis was electrical theory.

“It’s a pretty hard class,” he admits. “But it’s important. You have to understand the power you’re working with.”

He praises the instructors, who balance high expectations with humor and mentorship.

“They’re awesome,” he says. “Hard, but fair. They push us just enough to make sure we’re getting better.”

In the line trade, teamwork isn’t optional—it’s life-or-death essential. Davis says the program has taught him how much line workers rely on one another.

“For the bell changeout, you have one guy on the ground and one up on the pole,” he said. “You have to trust the guy on the ground to get things up to you fast and safely. Same with the crossarm.”

Communication is constant, quick, and sometimes loud.

“You just do what needs to be done,” he said.

Davis isn’t sure where he wants to work after graduation.

“I kind of want to travel around,” he said.

He knows the trade is stable, essential, and full of opportunity.

“It seems like a career where there will always be work,” he said.

Growing up, Davis didn’t picture himself climbing power poles for a living.

“I thought I was going to be a hunting guide,” he said.

But now, as commencement approaches, he’s found something new—something he’s good at, something he enjoys, and something that will take him places.

“The program’s been awesome,” he says. “It’s the best.”

The Line Rodeo will take place on Friday, December 12 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm in the pole yard at Highlands College. It is an opportunity for the community to see all the students have learned in the past semester as they compete in a collegial competition.