Water of change rushing in this International Women's Day

The tide has turned at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), say its many female leaders, as the water of change is rushing in this International Women’s Day.

As the agency awaits the arrival of the first-ever female Chief Executive in Virginia McVea on April 3, a few of the MCA’s top ranked women have reflected on an industry that is fast leaving behind its reputation as male-dominated.

Many highlighted the significant increase in the speed of change in recent years, and how the traditionally male-dominated maritime environment feels more balanced than ever before.

Jackie Barnetson, Assistant Director of Customer Operations, said: “I think it’s a really exciting time at the moment for the MCA. Virginia joining as our first ever female CEO is an amazing thing for both women in maritime but also just women in general.

“If you think about the maritime industry and the fact that it's been pretty male dominated for many, many years, we are finally starting to see more people come through into very senior roles.”

Sandie Tomlinson, Programme Delivery and Interoperability Manager, highlighted that one of the key changes has been in the organisation embracing equity as a concept and accepting that fairness is not always treating everyone the same.

“I think the MCA is on a real journey in terms of what we can do to better enhance the experience for females who want to progress. Women often have things like maternity leave to contend with, that takes them out of the organisation for some time and encouraging them back into the operations environment particularly is about offering flexibility and options.

“And seeing what we can do to encourage the people who we've trained and we've skilled-up to stay with us.”

Meanwhile, Maritime Autonomy Policy Lead Katrina Kemp said that she has only recently identified her own role as a ‘woman in maritime’ in promoting seniority of women in the industry.

She said: “I'm surrounded by other leaders, that are women and experts in their area, and I think that all builds this bigger picture of a really strong culture of women in maritime, which is unusual because maritime isn't necessarily seen that way.”

She added that it is only in more recent years that this change had really picked up pace.

“When I first turned up to meetings, I was often the only woman in the room,” she recalled. “I was almost comfortable with it, it felt like the norm because I'd spent so long within this maritime field.

“But I now turn up to conferences now and we're 50/50 on some occasions.”

Suzanne Chesson, Head of Inspection Operations, pointed out that ceilings have already been shattered at the MCA, when Katy Ware became the Director of the UK’s Maritime Services. She is also the Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization.

She said: “In the last few years, we are noticing more and more females taking roles at high levels. It's very positive. We see more representation of meeting rooms is also changing the tone of the meetings sometimes, and the diversity of opinions is really helpful.”

Incoming CEO Virginia McVea agreed that it is the hard work of the women, and men, who have gone before that have created a space for her to become the first woman in charge of the MCA.

Incoming Chief Executive Virginia McVea also shared some thoughts this International Women's Day

The former Director of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission said: “Starting out in legal practice, in the courts, it was a predominantly male environment. But I have to be honest, when I applied for this job, I didn’t think about being the first woman and, while I was reflecting for this encounter, it struck me – wasn’t that fantastic?

“And wasn’t that on the basis of all the women, and men, who had gone before to make that possible, so I didn’t have to think about that.”

But she also said that she recognises the need to keep pushing for progress, to ensure equity is something an organisation continually pushes for. Mentoring is key to progress, she added.

Sandie Tomlinson agrees, having just moved from an important mentoring role in the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) where she was felt a responsibility as a female leader.

“My presence in this environment was reported to be a really positive thing for females,” the former JRCC manager said. “You know, a number came up and said that because it's been male dominated previously, it's really nice to see female leaders coming through. And I equally encourage them. Part of my role, I thought, was to encourage them and say to them, you can achieve as well.”

Strategic Relations Manager Rebecca Binstead said that encouragement, support and mentoring from women already in top roles is vital.

“I’m absolutely passionate about encouraging other females to achieve,” she said. “Lots of roles have changed over the years and being able to be open to that change and being able to encourage women into those roles has been such a positive move.”

Leanne Grillandini, Head of International Survey Operations, shares that hope that a female chief executive can continue to improve a perception of the maritime community as male-dominated.

“It will hopefully encourage other women to come into the agency and maritime industry,” she added.

But Jenny Brooker, Chief Data Architect, explained that, from her experience, the MCA is already ahead of other technical organisations, with her feeling that there are more women in technical roles within the agency than elsewhere in the industry.

She leads a data science team of majority women as she also recognises her role as a mentor.

“That's one of the things that being a role model is all about, it’s not just demonstrating the fact that you are here and you can do it, but also the fact that you are looking at others with that view of, you know, can I help them and support them, do they have that same issue with thinking that they can’t do it?

Colleague Nicola McIlroy finds that, although she is herself a woman in a role often held by men, she finds the appointment of the first ever female chief executive ‘inspiring’.

“It helps me realise my own potential,” she said. “And to keep pushing for more, we have many women as senior managers and it is really inspiring.”