Tell me I can’t, I’ll show you I can!

I have always been a daddy’s girl; helping with the cars, changing a light bulb, building bunk beds… I would pass him tools and we would have coffee and biscuits when we took a break.

My dad is a submariner! I longed to follow his career path, however in the UK they do not allow women to serve on the submarines. I began to search for a similar occupation.

That is when I came across the Merchant Navy. Sure on the websites they show plenty of pictures of women on the ships, I was to discover that this was not a reality.

The training was over 3 years long. In that time I was the only girl in college, and the only girl on the ships mostly. There was the odd stewardess but no other girls in the engine room.

I have strived to be the best in the engine room and in the class room. Sometimes, especially with the foreigners, it takes the lads time to accept a girl in the engine room and to trust that I can do all the work just as good as any man down there,

After all my hard work I passed the Engineers Officer of the Watch oral examination and have gained all the certification. I have a fantastic job on a great ship and there is even another girl in the engine room, too!

My advice to all you girls is believe in yourself! Never ever let anyone tell you that you can’t. And if they do then make sure you prove them wrong! Always do what makes you happy!