Introducing Melissa Dolton: A journey of dedication and growth

As one of only two women on VEGA UK's senior leadership team, Dolton's transition from the financial services sector to VEGA, despite having no engineering background, is a tribute to her dedication, resilience, and commitment to growth, and it is, hopefully, a reflection of the gradual shift towards greater gender diversity in the tech and engineering industries.

Here, Dolton shares her career insights, the challenges she has faced, and her vision for the future.

Can you introduce yourself and tell me about your career journey?

I began my career in the financial services industry, where I was a business assurance leader. In this role, I oversaw a team responsible for designing and maintaining processes for a large life assurance company, as well as supporting and resourcing various projects.

However, when the company relocated, I chose not to uproot my young family. This decision led me to take a brief career break to spend time with my family and contemplate my next steps.

During this break, a local admin-based vacancy at VEGA UK piqued my interest. I thought, ‘What have I got to lose – I'll give it a go.’ Little did I know that this decision would change the course of my career and my life.

Despite having no engineering background, I immersed myself in learning as much as possible about VEGA and its operations before my interview, hoping for the best. Returning to my previous field would have been easier, but I was eager to try something challenging and different.

The team at VEGA has been incredibly supportive and generous in sharing their knowledge, and it is something they still do with new hires today. They patiently explained our various services, their purposes, and the reasons behind specific information requests.

The more I learned, the more fascinated I became with the devices we sell, their variations, and their optimal applications. Colleagues even guided me through device setups step-by-step so I could grasp the basics. One of my favourite sayings was, ‘I'm not an engineer.’

When the moment came for our office-based service manager to retire, it highlighted a possible opportunity for me, and I realised how much I missed being in a management position, so I decided to apply. I love all of our service team members and was delighted to be offered the role of working with such great people and fantastic professionals.

What were some key challenges you faced while working your way up in a male-dominated industry?

The level and pressure emulates most engineering-based industries. It's heavily male-dominated, which can be tricky for women, who are usually seen as a minority.

One of the key challenges in our industry is demonstrating that women can excel in engineering roles equally as well as men. At VEGA UK, we have male and female service support engineers, which wasn't always the case, indicating that we are moving in the right direction for the future.

Another challenge was proving that I could fulfil the service manager role and do it better than people expected, given my gender and experience. I had to show that I understood the team's needs, knew where to go for technical support, and could arrange necessary training. Gaining the team's confidence, trust, and respect in my leadership role was crucial.

How do you think being one of the few females on the senior leadership team impacts your perspective and approach to your role?

While my gender doesn't necessarily influence my approach to the role, my presence on the senior leadership team at VEGA demonstrates to other women that career development is possible regardless of gender.

This visibility helps to inspire and encourage women within the company to pursue leadership positions and break the traditional gender barriers previously seen in the technology industry.

Can you share a specific moment or achievement in your career that you are particularly proud of?

Being promoted to service manager is the highlight of my professional career, something I honestly never thought would happen. I initially believed that you had to be an engineer and, quite frankly, a man to hold such a position. I'm incredibly grateful to our Managing Director, Doug Anderson for trusting and believing in me.

Another proud moment was when we employed our first female internal support engineer and witnessed her development and growth into a valued team member. Seeing the engineers I've hired grow and develop to become integral parts of the team is immensely rewarding and always fills me with great pride and satisfaction.

What strategies or practices have you found most effective in overcoming obstacles and achieving your career goals?

Keeping it simple, listening, and asking questions are invaluable strategies for improving industry and product knowledge. Recognising that you don't have to know everything is essential – that's why I rely on our highly skilled engineers. Sometimes, knowing where the answer can be found rather than the answer itself is equally as valuable.

Additionally, continuously challenging current systems and processes and seeking more efficient and effective ways to operate has relieved pressure on our team members and improved our operating standards.

Lastly, fostering a supportive team environment where everyone encourages and helps each other has been crucial. While I manage the team, we operate as a cohesive unit, working collaboratively towards each task we are facing.

How do you see the industry evolving in terms of gender diversity, and what steps do you think companies should take to support this progress?

From my perspective, the industry is slowly evolving to become more gender-diverse, but there's still progress to be made.

Companies need to actively encourage and instil belief in women to take up roles traditionally held by men. At VEGA UK, I've been fortunate to experience an inclusive work environment, but not all women in the tech sector share this same experience. Companies should contribute to inclusivity by providing mentorship programmes, promoting competent female role models, and creating a supportive network for women.

How has VEGA UK's company culture and values supported your growth and success?

I can honestly say that VEGA's company culture and values have been essential for my career growth and success. The emphasis on professionalism, integrity, self-respect, and respect for others has created an environment where I feel valued and motivated to excel.

VEGA is known as "The Home of Values," and the company truly embodies this mantra internally and externally. Through VEGA's sense of simplicity and focus on people, the company remains locally grounded and globally connected.

The company culture at VEGA is brilliant, and the amount of encouragement and support that's been available to me over my time at VEGA has been fundamental to my success. I receive regular recognition and appreciation for my contributions, which has always encouraged me to continue pursuing career growth and success within the business.

What advice would you give to young women aspiring to enter and succeed in the tech industry?

My advice is simple: Don’t hesitate, go for it.

The tech industry offers an immense variety of roles and responsibilities, and there's something for everyone regardless of previous experience, background, or age. Any niche within the technology industry can be exciting and provide young women with a path to career success.

Don't be shy – take the plunge and see where it takes you. Learning is a continuous process, and with determination, you can achieve great things.

What are your hopes and next steps in your career, and what goals do you have for your team at VEGA UK?

My hope for my team is that they continue to grow and excel in providing outstanding service and support to our customers. It would be fantastic if the next field engineer, we hired were female, further promoting gender diversity within our team.

For my career, I have found a role that I love and feel valued in. I aim to encourage other women internally at VEGA UK to pursue career and personal growth but also encourage women externally to pursue careers in the technology industry and support them in their journey.

My personal aim is to continue being an advocate for gender diversity and inclusivity, helping to contribute to a more balanced and equitable technology industry for the future generations of women in tech.