Welder Shares Decades of Sexism

A seasoned welder, with more than three decades of experience in the field, has spoken out about the significant challenges she encountered throughout her career. This 50-year-old professional, Mel Stewart from Bedlington, Northumberland, revealed that she was often subjected to bullying and faced outright rejection due to her gender.

Stewart shared instances where she was overlooked for director positions and even resorted to using a different name on job applications to secure opportunities. She described facing considerable animosity from older male workers in the industry, who often suggested she pursue less physically demanding careers like hairdressing. Driven by these experiences, Stewart recently founded her own company approximately one year ago. Her current mission is to actively encourage more women to enter the welding profession, thereby helping to alleviate the sector's escalating shortage of skilled labor.