The women have this — all three of them. Of course they do.
Ken Johnson, head of Pine Bluff’s Wastewater Utility, announced recently that one of his employees, Amber Faucette, had received her Class IV operator license from the state Division of Environmental Quality.
That is significant because the Class IV license is the highest designation for a wastewater operator in the country.
The other part that is significant is that Faucette is now one of three women who have reached the Class IV status at Wastewater Utility.
“I think the significance for us is that it’s unprecedented for Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility to have that many women,” Johnson said. “We have four Class IV operators, three of whom are women.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
And in positions that normally are part of a man’s world, that’s saying a lot, Johnson affirmed.
“In addition, if you look at the water and wastewater profession, it’s pretty much been dominated by male operators,” he said. “When you look at the … Class IV level operators we have, the majority are female employees.”
The other two top operators are Stacy Carpenter and Jornetta Shaw, with each passing a test to get their Class IV license.
Carpenter did her own bit at taking on the glass ceiling by getting her Class IV in 2008, making her the first woman in southeast Arkansas to reach the mark.
Shaw has also been with the utility for several years and first got interested in the work when she graduated from UAPB with a degree in fisheries and biology.
Carpenter, who has been on the job for 27 years, said pushing to be the best has been her calling card.
“You always want to dream big and do the best you can,” she said. “If there’s anything where you can get the highest level of certification, go for it.”
Congratulations to all three for their accomplishments and to Johnson for fostering a workplace that encourages people to stick around and one that rewards employees for excelling.