Meet The Pro: Hunter Lewis, Maintenance Aid 1
By Arkansas Next on Friday, October 10, 2025
Hometown: Cave City
Age: 18
Training: AG, welding and operating machinery classes
Job Title: Maintenance Aid 1
Employer: Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT)
Hunter Lewis grew up in Cave City, Arkansas, and knows what hard work means. In high school, he took agriculture, welding and machinery operation classes to lay a solid foundation for his career.
“I really got interested [in this career] in my senior year of high school,” Hunter said. “It’s what I’ve always done, growing up outside working on the farm [and] always being hands-on.”
While many of his classmates opted for four-year college degrees, Hunter chose a different path—one that gave him immediate hands-on experience and long-term advantages.
“I preferred this over the educational route because there are so many great benefits that I can receive that I would probably never get if I went with the educational path,” Hunter said.
His experience from high school classes and farm work gave him a head start when he joined the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT), where he started with basic tasks like flagging and sign installation. Over time, he has learned to operate heavy equipment and handle more complex projects.
Hunter says the most rewarding part of his job is the people and emphasized how much he loves not working in an office setting.
“There is always something to do,” Hunter said. “Every day it is usually something different and not the same thing over and over each day.”
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MORE ABOUT THE JOB
Education Needed:
High school diploma or GED
You'll Be Great At This Job Too If...
- Tend to troubleshoot multiple ways to get a project done
- Learned how to drive a stick shift/manual drive
- Enjoy making other people’s lives easier
- Want a stable job in the future where you can grow in your role
Related Jobs:
Millwrights
High school diploma or GED | $76,320
Hydroelectric Plant Technicians
High school diploma or GED | $106,610
Wind Turbine Service Technicians
Postsecondary certificate | $88,090
Do You Have What it Takes?
Check off the experience you already have...
► Manual Agility (able to move and rearrange heavy objects)
► Organized (you tend to keep your classroom notes, homework and other important things sorted)
► Problem Sensitivity (able to predict or solve problems quickly when they arise)
► Precision (quick and detailed decision making)
High-end earners (top 10%) make
$61,620 Annual
Median wages in Arkansas (top 50%)
$40,870 Annual
Sources: careeronestop.org for Maintenance and Repair Workers in Arkansas
WHERE TO LEARN
- Arkansas Army National Guard
- Arkansas Northeastern College
- Arkansas State University Three Rivers
- Arkansas State University-Beebe
- Lexicon, Inc.
- NorthWest Arkansas Community College
- Northwest Technical Institute (NWTI)
- Thompson Electric Training Institute
- University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville
- University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton
- University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College
- University of Arkansas-East Arkansas Community College
- W&W|AFCO Steel
WHERE TO WORK
- Arkansas Army National Guard
- Arkansas State University-Beebe
- Lexicon, Inc.
- Multi-Craft Contractors, Inc.
- W&W|AFCO Steel
Sources: careeronestop.org
