“I’m still here and still enjoying my job although my role has changed several times over the years.”
Q: What did you want to become when you were a child?
A primary school teacher – although, after homeschooling my two children during the two lockdowns we’ve had, I’m glad my career has gone in a different direction!
Q: Why did you choose to work within shipping?
The company is one of the biggest employers in the small area that I live in and I applied for a summer job in 1994 and got taken on for six weeks to do post-processing in the finance department. I got offered more hours after the summer and was only too glad to accept as I was enjoying working in an industry where no two days are the same. We’re now in 2021 and I’m still here and still enjoying my job where my role has changed several times over the years.
Q: What is your best work-related memory?
I think it has to be watching the HSS coming down Loch Ryan towards Stranraer and docking in the port for the first time. It was an exciting time for everyone who worked in the port at the time and the residents of Stranraer too. I was also on duty when the HSS left Stranraer for the very last time and had the pleasure of loading the last sailing. It was sad to see it go but the next day we were working from a brand new port with the two Superfast vessels, so there was plenty to look forward to.
Q: Who has been your role model?
My role model has to be Greig Scobie, who is a former Operations Manager with the company, whom I’m sure many people will remember. He took me under his wing and passed on a lot of valuable information to me when I was training in my current job. He had been with the company for such a long time and been through so many changes that what he didn’t know about his job wasn’t worth knowing! I couldn’t have asked for a better teacher. Greig has sadly passed away now but will be remembered by the people who worked with him for a long time to come I’m sure.
