My name is Ann:

From Legal Secretary to Welding Artisan: My Unexpected Journey

Ten years ago, I found myself at a crossroads. After spending 22 years as a legal secretary, a chance opportunity arose that would change the course of my life. The looming threat of redundancies in my job coincided with my dad and his business partner, both of whom were making brackets, falling seriously ill. That’s when I decided to take a bold step—a leap into an entirely new career swopping my keyboard for a welding torch. I know what you’re thinking—a woman in a male dominated field learning to weld after two decades in an office? Many people around me were sceptical. They couldn’t see how I, with
no prior experience, could succeed in such a hands-on, physically demanding field. But they underestimated my determination.