One could hardly imagine a 34-year-old girl dealing with her shipping, to become a Chief Engineer and travel to all lengths and breadths of the planet to practice her highly demanding profession.
And yet in the case of the lady Tonia Karageorgou the will and love for this object stood as a catalyst to find its way into this admittedly extremely difficult and male-dominated space. Discipline, self-confidence and optimism supply her on the path that follows and takes her where there is a port on Earth.
Newsbeast.gr located her in the South China and shared with us details and secrets of her profession for which she typically says that his nature is such that it gives her vitality while emphasizing that "when you deal with situations professionally you gain the respect of the other in any position, even if it is irrelevant age ".
The interview follows in detail…
- How did you decide to get involved in shipping?
Having nothing to do with shipping, I was attracted by the type of work. Shipping and especially the field of the Technical Department has to do with many trips around the world, you gather life experiences and while it also involves physical risk it is something that excites me. The nature of the Mechanical Engineer is to give solutions to difficult situations and conditions and this is something that gives me vitality.
- What exactly is your specialty? What studies did you do?
I'm done National Technical University of Athens as a Mechanical Engineer after first getting the practical knowledge and the degree of Technological Engineer at the TEI of Chalkida. The good bases theoretically and practically are the ones that support me in my professional course but above all the experiences I gain every day are the ones that make me and I continue.
- Just 34 years old and you are a Chief Engineer in a large company? Are you anxious? Do you feel responsible?
The responsibilities at the level of Chief Engineer are many and especially when you manage and have under your responsibility the company's fleet. But I trust my strengths and I try to walk without stress except with professionalism, love and hard work for what I want to achieve. For this course, however, I have to thank the Technical Director Mr. Mylonakis Dimitris who trusted me, threw me deep without a life buoy and recognized in my face my appetite and will to develop as a Mechanical Engineer in shipping. He generously gave me the opportunity to gather as much knowledge as I could. With his guidance and without complexes due to my gender, he gave me the opportunity to evolve and leave my personal mark.
- I would say your space is male dominated? How are you treated? Do you have an incident with us where you experienced special behavior due to your gender and your young age?
The truth is that the female sex in my field is not very represented, but when you deal with situations professionally, you gain the respect of the other from any position, regardless of age. In my first interview with a shipping company in 2006 the shipowner asked to see my nails and asked me “can you follow and work as a Mechanical Engineer? Aren't you afraid of damaging your nails? " At first I was shocked by the treatment but my zeal and will to enter the field did not stop me.
- For the needs of your job where can you travel? Where do we find you now?
I travel a lot and in all parts of the world, where there is a port I travel worldwide. I am currently in South China for the tanking of a Suez Max Oil Tanker 157000 ton DWT, a project of about 2 million euros with many challenges, which I want to believe I will complete successfully.
- Are the movements easy and the fact that you have to leave Greece often?
The difficult thing with this profession is that travel occurs constantly and many times without knowing when you will travel and when you will return. This unfortunately prevents me from planning my personal life but I am an optimistic person and I find solutions to what arises. My family and friends understand the nature of my work and show understanding.
- Is it something that scares you at work?
The only difficult thing is that there is a physical risk but I follow all safety procedures with reverence and carefully and safely do my job. My health is above all and if we follow the strict rules of shipping we minimize the risk.
- What do you have to say to a child who wants to follow your work? What are the pros and cons?
We all have to follow our dreams and resist the difficulties that may arise. Shipping, as one of the most important industries in our country, has a lot to offer to those who will follow it. The technical department of every shipping company is its heart and soul and it works tirelessly to make its ships navigable. That is why each of us must work responsibly. The pros are more than my personal list. Many professional horizons open to you, you know the whole world and through it you become a better person so you can overcome the difficulty of the unplanned trip and it is one of the negatives. We must not stand on the negative but continue with persistence and optimism.
- If you had to change jobs, what professional space would you follow?
I can not think of any other profession that would fill me so much because I am quite dedicated to what I do.
- How do you feel about the fact that many young people are leaving our country for a better future abroad?
I personally know people who have chosen this solution to find a job and make a living. It is a very unpleasant situation that has arisen in the last 10 years due to the economic crisis and has forced many people to leave their homeland and family for a better tomorrow. But I believe that the state must find ways and stop the brain drain so that we do not reach in the earlier times of refugee Greece. We have to support our place.
- What are your dreams for the future?
With hard work and appetite I want to develop myself and my knowledge and climb the ladder of shipping with humility. I have set high goals and I will try to achieve as many as I can. I hope I will make it. I want to thank my family for their continued support and understanding. Without my own people and their love I could not go on.