My youngest son finished school and started as a lineman a year or so ago. He really seems to enjoy what he does. Likewise, he appreciated the low cost of his degree, and the money he makes in return. He got hired straight out of school, start up company, if the boss does well and stays in business, he'll have a lot of room for advancement. Call outs aren't there for all, if you see that as a down side, he works for a private contractor, building new power lines. If there's a seriously ugly storm and things get tough enough that the power company needs help, yeah they may be called, otherwise they put in their time building new power lines, and go home at night.
They do however have to travel and you never know where the next job is going to be. Might be anywhere in the nation, depends upon what the boss bids on. Were I young and single, I might contemplate looking into that route. Go out and add a little experience to my degree, and see the country, while getting paid to do so. Then later in life, after I settled down, maybe make the move back to the rural electric co-op.