Hong Kong woman breaks glass ceiling by becoming first female chief engineer on seagoing vessels in city
- Joanna Kwok takes on senior role in sector with poor record in employing women, despite it being in grip of worker shortages
- She defies norms of male dominated industry, which once believed having women in engine room was ‘bad luck’
Joanna Kwok Wing-yan has become the first Hong Kong woman to attain the rank of chief engineer on seagoing vessels, breaking through the glass ceiling in a male dominated industry facing serious labour shortages.
The 32-year-old secured the post, which is on the same level as a ship’s captain, despite the widespread failure of shipping firms in the city to recruit women – and her problems with motion sickness.
Although female engineers are now common in Europe, they remain rare in Asia, with women accounting for just 5 per cent of the 10 to 15 young cadets who join ships in Hong Kong every year, industry representatives said on Monday.
“Not many companies are willing to hire Chinese women engineers, some foreign companies will not even hire Chinese people,” said Kwok, who was the first woman engineer hired by her company, Anglo-Eastern Ship Management, a Hong Kong based company managing almost 900 ships.
Kwok, who hoped to inspire other women to follow in her footsteps, said being the only Hongkonger on board also made it difficult.
