Returning to the workforce after a decade as a stay-at-home mum due to a divorce can be daunting. However, Jessica Jackson defied the odds to fulfil her dream of working outdoors. Her job, though risky, earns her $73,000 (£57,000) annually and has the potential to pay up to $100,000 (£78,000). Jackson, 37, climbs 300 feet in the air five days a week to service and fine-tune wind turbines in Bee County, Texas. As a wind turbine service technician for Vestas, she maintains and repairs turbine hydraulics, as well as electrical and mechanical systems.
After separating from her husband in 2019, Jackson faced difficulties finding a job without a bachelor's degree. Her ex-partner recommended her for a tower wiring installation role at Blattner Energy in northern Texas, which eventually led her to a position at Vestas in February 2020. While working as a wind technician, she enrolled in the University of Arizona's online bachelor's programme in environmental science and graduated in 2022.
