Alumni Career Feature
Sara Rust
We feature alumni with interesting careers from a variety of career areas. If you are interested in being featured, e-mail us at alumni@pct.edu. To learn more about the alumnus featured below contact them via the e-mail provided.
- A.A.S., Electric Power Generation Technology, 2006
- PPL Electric Utilities Corporation
- thatpowergengirl@gmail.com
Sara’s Background
Sara’s college search started as a junior in high school when college mail was flowing into her mailbox. One piece of mail stood out from the rest; a DVD from Penn College. Sara scheduled a visit and was impressed by the clean campus, staff professionalism, and the knowledgeable student ambassador leading her tour. Sara wanted to find a niche in the professional world and felt a Penn College education was her best option. The specialized industry of power generation was appealing to her. Sara graduated in 2006 earning an Associate of Applied Science degree in electric power generation technology.
PPL Electric Utilities Corporation
Sara is a plant equipment operator at PPL’s Brunner Island in York Haven, Pennsylvania. Brunner Island is home to a power plant that generates electricity by burning coal. The Brunner Island plant burns more than 3 million tons of coal per year. As a plant equipment operator, Sara monitors pumps, motors, temperatures, and pressures, and she makes appropriate adjustments to keep the plant operating. Knowing she is the person who helps keep power flowing to many people fascinates her. She credits Penn College for preparing her to handle the demands of her responsibilities. According to Sara, someone without her technical college education would need years of experience in the field to learn all the functions of her profession.
Advice to Students
Sara says there is no such thing as bad knowledge and encourages students to learn all they can while in college. Concentrate on all aspects in your field of study and learn as much as possible. The more you know about a particular subject, the more confident you become. Having confidence in your abilities is a must. As a student, take advantage of opportunities provided, so you can capitalize on them in the future. Employers look for the right combination of technical and problem solving skills with great attention to detail. The importance of making smart decisions in a swift manner is critical in Sara’s field. Everything relates back to her Penn College education.
Future Plans
Sara is drawn to the dynamic learning environment that is created when monitoring the equipment of a 10-story facility. Her position with PPL is demanding, but she enjoys the constant change and challenge that accompany her responsibilities. Her goal is to gain more knowledge and experience in the field. Her next career move with PPL is focused on the plant control room, where she occasionally works on remotely operating and monitoring all plant equipment. Sara also provides direction on tasks that need to be performed to the operators in the field. She would like to have more of a permanent presence in this area of the company.
