Traditionally, welding has been perceived as a male preserve. However, Natalia Stakhanova proves by her own example: meticulous work and increased attention to detail help her to get better at what she does.
The first time Natalia picked up a welding machine was in one of the shops of the Donetsk-Kurakhove Engineering Works. She was a young girl when she started working at the works as an apprentice welder. It was there that she made her first attempts at seam welding and acquired skills.
"Over time, my professional skills have noticeably improved,’ Natalia says. "When I started, not everything worked out straight away. But the more I practised, the more techniques I mastered. Seams became stronger and more refined, and the work was very satisfying."
That is why, when Natalia joined the energy and mechanical shop of Colliery Group "Pokrovs'ke" more than thirteen years ago, she did not need much time to adapt, as she already knew almost all the intricacies of the job.
"When Natalia joined our team, she knew almost everything," says Artem NEKRASOV, a manual arc welder and Natalia's former mentor. "It took her some time to learn certain nuances of working with mine equipment and parts for it - inserts, pipes, suspensions, augers and much more. From the very first day, we were on the same wavelength. This mutual understanding in our work continues to this day."
Every day of the female welder is unpredictable in its own way, as it is difficult to plan in advance the amount of work that will need to be done. She does not have tasks she likes or dislikes: she is equally good at working on different parts. Several seams can be applied to a single workpiece, differing in width and type. The thinner the metal, the more difficult it is to work with. All this is just a small part of the trade secrets that are so important to remember. That is why Natalia zeroes in on the quality of her work, as she performs another task.
"The parts we make are sent directly to the mine workings. We need them to be reliable and durable so that they don't let the miners down at an important moment," says the welder.
In her free time, the woman also has no time to sit around. In the frontline town of Hirnyk, where she lives with her family, her beloved husband, her home and neighbours are waiting for her. Natalia heads an apartment building co-owners' association. She admits that she always has a lot to do. Helping people and doing her favourite job, she dreams of one thing only: for the peace to come as soon as possible, and the rest she can do on her own.
