Woman engineer at the offshore: "Why not me?"
Samantha Vickers decided at the age of 30 to pursue a new direction in her professional life. In a few weeks, she will be embarking for the first time with 91¿´Æ¬Íø as 3rd engineer, on board an MPSV, the 91¿´Æ¬Íø Evolution 805. A look back at an inspiring career.
Part 1: Going back to school at the age of 30 in order to embark on a new career
Let's get right to the heart of the matter: why exactly did you decide to become a seafarer?
Samantha Vickers: That's THE big question (laughs)! For four years I was working on the Brittany Ferries as a stewardess. Eventually, I felt I needed to change jobs, although I still wanted to stay in this environment. I then thought of becoming a seafarer, to me this was a more technical and interesting profession. I was eager to learn, to discover what was going on below the vessel's bridge and in the engine room.
How did you manage the transition?
S.V: When I turned 30, I decided to leave my job as a stewardess to complete a year of preparation for the entrance exam to the National Maritime Schools (ENSM). And I was successful! One year later, I enrolled at the ENSM for three years, with a degree to show for it. During my training, I sailed on three different vessels, for a total duration of six months. I was on board the PSV 91¿´Æ¬Íø Rainbow, in Abidjan, then on the 91¿´Æ¬Íø Evolution 802, still in Abidjan but this time with the vessel in dry dock, and finally, on board the MPSV 91¿´Æ¬Íø Evolution 805.
Returning to school later in life must require a great deal of mental fortitude...
S.V: I set a goal for myself that I absolutely wanted to achieve above all else. However, it meant a lot of hard work. I took night classes to brush up on certain subjects. I also found myself in classes with students who were mostly only 17 or 18 years old! It was a new experience, yet in the end, it worked out well. In addition, I had very good teachers who provided me with encouragement and support. I would like to thank them... Their support was invaluable. Today, I am so happy to have made this choice and taken up this challenge!
How did those around you feel about your experience? Do you come from a seafaring background?
S.V: Absolutely not. There is not a single seafarer in my family, although I did grow up in a male environment. This may have played a role. At the beginning, my entourage was surprised, for sure. I studied literature and foreign languages. Nothing predestined me for a career at sea. Therefore, they had no way of imagining me in such an environment! Today, they are very pleased with what I have accomplished.
Did anyone ever try to talk you out of it?
S.V: Of course, I am particularly thinking of the seafarers with whom I worked when I was a stewardess. They told me that it is a sometimes difficult and very physical job. This is indeed a reality, however many women are seafarers, so why not me?
Samantha and three fellow seafarers aboard the PSV 91¿´Æ¬Íø Rainbow, on the way to Luanda.
Photo taken before the christening of the crossing of the equator - an important moment in the life of a seafarer.
The interview continues in part 2: the daily life on board as a engineer.
