Women Tower Climbers

Tower climbers throughout the world are known for their incredible strength and daring. Climbing up towers that are completely exposed to the elements, in all weathers, carrying a large amount of equipment that is incredibly heavy, is not really for the faint of heart. Add into that the detailed knowledge, experience, and qualifications that a tower climber will need to have in the field of electronics, and it is no wonder that many people, when they are asked to imagine within their mind’s eye the typical tower climber, think of a man.


But this is changing. More and more girls are finishing school with a deep interest in science and electronics, and are discovering at university or college that there is a whole world of electronics based careers that they can go into. At a very basic level, there is absolutely nothing from preventing a woman from studying electronics, and excelling at it. Having a womb doesn’t mean that you can’t think, and it doesn’t preclude you from understanding some of the most difficult and complex theories, as well as complicated practical working environments.

This trend can be seen throughout the computing and electronics industry. One brilliant example of this is Limor Fried, a woman who has created a highly successful company based around offering people simple kits to modify the electronics that they already own. Her company Adafruit Industries is fast becoming a world leader in allowing people and both men and women and to take control of the electronic devices that they own in a very positive way. She was also the very first woman that ever graced the cover of the highly popular electronics magazine Wired in 2011.

There are many women throughout the electronic and computing industries that are challenging preconceptions about what a woman can and can’t do and but the world of tower climbing is slightly different. Without contravening the laws of political correctness, one of the very necessary requirements of being a tower climber is a high level of power and strength, which is not something that many women possess. There are also many stereotypes of women that have them panicking every time something small goes wrong, and not being able to keep their heads in a crisis. So is it possible for women tower climbers to be successful?

Lauren James would argue yes. At the young and tender age of merely twenty four, she is one of the very few tower climbers that is both earning well, and a woman. Out of the 9000 tower cell tower climbers that are working in her area, she is only one of fifteen that are female. This hasn’t dampened her spirits, however, and she loves challenging people’s stereotypes of what a tower climber should look and sound like. It is the love of climbing that brought Lauren James to the world of tower climbing, not that of electronics, proving that there is more than one way for a woman to find herself deeply set in the world of tower climbing.

If you are a girl or a woman that is interested in tower climbing, do not let the male dominated environment put you off. You have every chance of being just as successful as any man ñ after all, not every man that you see could be a successful tower climber! It is all about how you approach your job: if you work hard, and put in some serious preparation before hand, there is no reason why you cannot climb any tower, just like the rest of them.

Women Tower Climbers

So you want to be a Tower Climber

Our world is changing so fast. New technology brings so many new fields for interested people who want to experience different jobs. One of the hardest and most unusual jobs in the world is tower climbing. With the increasing use of wireless electronic devices, the need for tower climbers is increasing every day. The job has been recognized in 2004 as one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.


Tower dogs can work in several places. They can work on television and government radio towers, commercial radio, and navigation towers. Many of these highly skilled and highly trained people install and maintain antennae, and other transmission systems.

A tower dawg must carry all necessary equipment and testing devices up the tower as he or she climbs, and then they have to search accurately for the damaged section, and repair it. But if more serious problems are discovered, other tower dawg colleagues will be required to aid in the repair.

A person who wants to be a tower dawg should at least have a school diploma with high grades, great physical strength, and definitely cannot be afraid of heights! These are the very basic necessities for a tower dawg.

Having primary knowledge about electronics is the next step. You must know how to repair an antenna wire and cables. It is necessary to pass some classes, and get some qualifications in this area. Companies that want to employ tower dawgs will usually hold some classes for those that are interested. In these classes, which may take a single day, but can stretch over a week, will teach you climbing techniques, safety procedures, and other principal techniques of the trade.

Training courses will often include two levels. First, it is vital that you learn OSHA rules, standards, and how to operate the necessary equipment. In the advanced level, you will learn current tower safety training standards that are used by OSHA, NATE, American Tower, Bechtel, General Dynamics, and many others. Advanced training will also include rope access skills, self-rescue, advanced rescue techniques, and rescue planning. Some electronic courses will need to be passed.

Safety is the main issue when it comes to tower climbing. A tower dogs must have safety equipment for every situation. There are so many factors for high quality and safety gear that companies and tower dogs will need to consider. According to OSHA rules and standards a tower climber must have the following equipment in his or her bag:

- dual leg shock absorbing lanyard or equivalent

- full-body harness designed for tower climbing

- climbing helmet for head protection

- safety-climb cable attachment device

- gloves for hand protection

- steel-toed boots for foot protection

- clear or tinted glasses for eye protection

- first aid kit

- two way radio

- positioning lanyard

- several OSHA approved carabineers

- pair of binoculars

Although a tower climber must pass all necessary courses, and know all of the rules and standards in the job, they must still be careful with every tower that they climb. They must especially consider a suitable climb plan with each tower, never climb with unsafe gear, and must turn on the RF personal alarm during the climbing time.

So you want to be a Tower Climber

Tower Climber Salary

The wild and adventurous life of a tower climber is one that many people, men and women included, often aspire to. However, the dangers that naturally come with working at such heights, in all weathers, usually around live electricity, are usually enough to prevent the majority of people that are interested in a career as a tower climber to think again, and choose something different. For those brave men and women that are persistent, and seriously look at tower climber jobs, there are rich rewards for them.


Of course, the exact numbers of what a tower climber will earn throughout a year will greatly depend on the type of towers that he or she climbs, and the company that they work for. However, just like other people that work in high pressure, stressful, technical and dangerous jobs, such as pilots, doctors, and other electrical engineers, the salary that a tower climber will receive reflects all of these factors. A typical tower climber salary for someone that is just starting off can seem to be incredibly high, but it is a mark of the respect and danger that the job garners. A beginner at tower climbing can expect to be earning around $40,000 a year, and even up to $60,000! That is why tower climber jobs are so popular.

On the other hand, to give a balanced view it must be said that a tower climber salary can vary wildly. In fact, a study has shown that the lowest ten percent of tower climbers are only paid about $26,200 a year, which certainly does not seem like a fair wage. Of course, the longer you work as a tower climber, the higher your wages will become, especially if you progress to become a tower project manager. A tower foreman salary is obviously going to be much higher, because with that extra workload comes extra responsibility. Typical salaries for tower climber foremans can range from $70,000 a year to even a majestic $130,000!

So, if you are considering whether or not to train to become a tower climber, do not let the worries about low wages concern you. There is plenty of money within the business to support you, and even a family if you have one, so why not take the plunge, and begin your journey that leads to some of the most incredible views in the world!

Tower Climber Salary