Dimitra Noussi, Apprentice Deck Officer – Greece

An Apprentice Deck officer or Navigational deck officer is an apprentice who has to learn the basic duties of a deck officer onboard a ship. I have to complete the prescribed sea-time to obtain a certificate of competency as officer in charge of navigational watch. I have to do various training onboard.

What excites me most in my line of work is that we constantly meet new people from different cultures and get to learn new things everyday through people and whilst working.

However, ever since I got on a ship, one obstacle has been my gender. Many sailors treated me hypothetically and thought that I didn’t deserve to be onboard , just because I am a woman. What I did not let them do is hinder my career. I proved that I deserve to be onboard through my hard work, knowledge and skill.

My advice to other female seafarers is to stay focused on your career, be humble, and self- improve daily.

Dimitra Noussi, Apprentice Deck Officer – Greece